Springs Eternal
by ShadowkittenMF
Summary: Another tale of the Puellae Magi. Akemi Homura has her first day of school. Again. How will she deal, this time, with Sayaka, and Mami, and the others? And what dark fate has Mikune Oriko seen? Reposted. In revision as of April 2014.
1. Chapter 1

_Springs Eternal_

_Author's note, 25 Feb. 2014: __This story came to me last year and I still like the idea. I am therefore rewriting and republishing it, with some slight change in focus. The first few chapters are nearly identical to the originally published version, however some elements in later published chapters are changed or removed, based on what I consider to be mistakes or poorly conceptualized idea__s__. Also, the Rebellion Story made me rethink one or two core __themes__ in the story as a whole._

_Chapter 1_

A gentle breeze blew.

"Love and Peace."

There was a hint of winter's chill, a stronger suggestion of the fragrance of spring.

"Benjamin Britten."

A teenaged girl stood in front of a white wooden trellis that was entwined with green, thorned vines. Her short hair was black or very dark brown, and unkempt but for two tarnished hair-pins that seemed more an afterthought.

"Alberic Barbier."

She wore a white blouse. The sleeves wee rolled up to her elbows. The front was buttoned up to her collar, and she wore a black tie. On her right arm she wore an elbow-length black fingerless glove. A wide black bracelet was on her left wrist.

"Black Magic."

She wore a short black skirt with white trim, and half of a green plaid skirt, one of her old school skirts. From a loose black leather belt hung a white plushie with long pink-tipped ears and wide red eyes.

"Princess Diana."

On her left leg, she wore a thigh-high sock, garishly colored with black and orange and teal stripes. On her right, a knee-length sock, and a leather garter with a silver buckle on her thigh. On her feet were a mismatched pair of battered Mary-janes. Her black-painted fingernail brushed the petals of a delicate, soft yellow rose.

"Lemon Blush."

The girl turned with a toothy grin. Deep amber-orange eyes sparkled in the sunlight, and with joy.

Behind her stood a tall and stately young woman. She wore a fancy green dress, adorned with yellow ribbons and white lace. Her hair was a fine platinum blond, nearly white, pulled into a high tail on the left side of her head.

A faintly amused smile crossed the older girl's face, and her pale green eyes sparkled back at her garish companion.

"I am impressed. You know so very much about roses."

The dark-haired girl shrugged and giggled.

"I just gather up all the information about you that I can, Oriko."

Mikuni Oriko laughed, a soft sound like wind-chimes.

"It was my father who loved roses, Kirika."

"What? Well, then I'll just forget all that crap then."

Oriko shook her head.

"If you un-remember everything that isn't about me, then what will you be left with?"

Kure Kirika trotted over to Oriko's side, a happy grin on her face.

"You! What else do I need?!"

Oriko sighed, and gently took Kirika's hand.

"You would be left an ignorant kid."

"But if I had you, it wouldn't matter."

"So sweet. And yet."

Kirika nodded. Her face abruptly became hard.

"Yeah. What was her name again?"

"Akemi Homura."

"Akemi. Homura? That's kinda an odd name."

Oriko smirked.

"So says Kure Kirika. Kirika?"

The wild girl giggled playfully.

"I will change my name if you don't like it!"

"Silly child. I adore your name."

Kirika beamed.

"But enough of this. I told you before, Akemi Homura will arrive tomorrow at Mitakihara Middle School. You are to deal with her, as we discussed. No more. And no other injuries or deaths."

"Awwww! I never get to have any fun," Kirika pouted.

Oriko gently cupped her cheek. Her smile turned cold.

"Soon you will have more than enough fun for us all."

* * *

Mitakihara Middle School was glass and steel, twisting and writhing in uncomfortably modernistic style from the simple and tasteful grounds of the old high school that had been torn down to make way for the newer educational facility, up to the cathedral-esque spires and bell-tower that had been unsteadily balanced on its rooftop. From moment to moment, depending on the angle of the viewer, the building shifted from imposing to disturbing.

The faux marble tiles of the interior led between the glass-walled classrooms. A slight girl with pale skin and dark black hair pulled into tightly braided twin-tails with purple ribbons before the tips walked with a slow and timid gait. She clutched a black satchel in front of her with both hands. She wore the regulation uniform, tunic and skirt and indoor-shoes, with black knee-socks.

She found herself in front of the classroom door, and sighed. She was used to waiting, by now, but still. Here in the hallway, with so much glass. She felt the eyes of every student on her, even though had she looked with honest eyes she would have seen that no one was paying her any mind. Homeroom was starting, after all.

* * *

"Good morning, students. Welcome to another lovely day of classes. A day where we will have some very important lessons to learn. Starting ..."

There was a collective groan in the classroom. Saotome Kazuko had a well-deserved reputation, so what came next was no surprise to the students. Even if they dreaded it.

"Starting with a lesson about bento."

_Bento_, the students asked themselves.

"Yes, bento. Lunch-boxes. Such a simple thing, right? Often a nice gesture, when a girl makes a bento for a boy that she adores. Yes?"

There was another muttering groan from the students.

"Nakazawa-kun," she declared, gesturing at him with an aluminum pointer.

"Ahh! Yes?"

"You are given a bento for lunch. What is your response?"

"Ummmm. To. Say. Thank-you?"

"Thank you? Yes, that would be nice. Appreciation for the girl's hard work?"

He nodded, his expression a blend of hopeful relief and all-too certain terror.

"Not, maybe, a comment about how perhaps it would have been better to have, say, tsukemono, and rice, and fried shrimp?"

"Ummmm ..."

"Not, perhaps, criticism about how a sandwich of ham and cheese, and a bag of chips, was perhaps too ... Western a lunch?"

"Ummmmm ... no. No, that .. would be fine."

"Why would that be fine, Nakazawa-kun?"

"Because ... it is the thought that counts. And not the food."

"The thought! Of course, that is what is important about a bento. You can buy a lunch at the company cafeteria, or buy melon-bread on the way to work, or even, God forbid, actually _eat the bento _from your dear and long-suffering girl, whose only intent was to make your day a little brighter and easier, rather than implying by your criticism, that perhaps her cooking skills are not up to the task of creating a proper and traditional bento!"

Kazuko grimaced, bending, and finally snapping, the pointer.

"No. I mean, yes! Or, I mean ..."

"Yes, thank you, Nakazawa-kun. That will do. But you must remember to appreciate your girl's little gifts, yes? And not to criticize or judge. And girls, for Gods' sake, find yourselves men who will compliment you for your efforts and not endlessly nit-pick and complain about how you _could_ be doing things like making bento!"

A blue-haired girl in the middle seat of the second row turned to look behind her, with a faint grin.

"Sounds like it went bad again."

A green-haired girl seated directly behind her nodded with an exasperated sigh.

"Sounds like it."

"Oh! Right. And now, I have a transfer student to introduce to you."

_Shouldn't that have come first?!_

"Dear, come in please."

The door slid open, and the dark-haired girl walked timidly into the classroom.

"Whoa," the blue haired girl said, "talk about _moe_ in the flesh!"

"Sayaka-san," the greenette behind her chided.

"Please, introduce yourself, dear."

"Ummm. My ... my name is Akemi Homura. Ummm. It is a pleasure to meet you all, and ... I beg of you, to please treat me well!"

Nervously, she bowed a little too quickly, and deeply.

"Akemi-san has been in the hospital for a long time due to a heart condition, so I want everyone to pay careful attention, and help her every way you can."

Homura stood back up, her face bright red. She glanced to Kazuko, who smiled.

"Well, where shall you sit? How about right here, in the front row, so we can all help you out easier?"

Homura's blush deepened, and she nodded.

"She's," Sayaka muttered, half-turned back to the greenette.

"She is?"

"She's kinda hot."

"Sayaka-san!"

"In a _woobie, moeblob_ kinda way. You know what I mean, Hitomi?"

Shizuki Hitomi shook her head.

"Miki Sayaka, I have no idea what you are talking about."

* * *

"Does it hurt," asked a girl with short brown hair.

Homura looked up timidly at her.

"Ummm. Not ... really."

"Where did you go to school before," asked a girl with turquoise hair.

"Ummm, I used to live in Tokyo..."

"Your hair is so pretty," gushed a girl with long lavender hair, "what kind of shampoo do you use?"

"Oh, and it must take forever to braid your hair like that," the brunette exclaimed.

"But it does look nice," said a girl with green hair tied in a severe pony-tail, and wearing glasses.

"Wow," Sayaka said. She stood with Hitomi to one side, watching the proceedings.

"Indeed. It appears that Akemi-san has become quite popular."

"Well yeah. You just wanna grab her in your arms like a teddy-bear and just hug the stuffings outta her."

Hitomi chuckled softly.

"I ... that is, I should ... be going," Homura stuttered, "To the infirmary."

"Oh no," said the bluenette, "are you feeling ill?"

"No. I just have to take my medicine."

"I'll take you there," said the green-pony-tailed girl.

"No. I think ... that is, I think that the class health officer should do so."

"Oh," the girls said with collective disappointment.

"Ahh," Hitomi said with a smile, leaning over to her friend, "it seems she needs your help."

"Huh? Oh, right. Ahem. Excuse me, girls. I happen to be the health officer."

The girls around Homura gave her a sour glance, and reluctantly parted.

Homura glanced up expectantly.

A blue-haired girl with a wolfish grin, and two gold hairpins, stood before her, her balled fists on her hips.

"Miki Sayaka, health officer!"

"Ummm. Okay. Are you sure you are the health officer?"

"Yeah, since last week. Voted on and everything."

"I see. Well, I suppose you can help me then."

Sayaka nodded, and Homura stood up slowly. She glanced curiously around the room, then with a blink she shook her head.

"Something wrong?"

"No," Homura said, "nothing. Well ... just a really funny feeling, but ... nothing really."

* * *

It was break. Students stood in the hallway, milling about, talking to one another. Or the sat at their desks staring out the glass walls at the students milling about in the hallway. And, it seemed to Akemi Homura, that everyone was staring at her, as she walked along behind Miki Sayaka. She was not entirely incorrect this time.

"Sorry about all them girls. We don't get too many transfer students, ya know. And we definitely don't have many students as ... conspicuous as you!"

"I ... that is, I try not to be."

"Yeah, exactly!"

Homura blinked, and tilted her head in confusion.

"It's hard not to notice something that's so obviously and badly hidden, you know? It's like having a run in your stocking and trying to cover it up with your hand and just managing to make everyone notice it instead."

"Is that so?"

"Yeah. So, here's what you gotta do, transfer student. Just kinda ... be cool."'

"Cool? I don't think I know how to be cool."

"No kidding," Sayaka responded unkindly.

Homura blushed.

Sayaka stopped, forcing Homura to stop as well. They were within a narrow bridge between sections of the school. The low ceiling above drew attention to the many narrow windows flanking them.

Sayaka turned with a wolfish grin.

"And what's with that name? Home-run? I mean, come on!"

Homura clenched her fists.

"I ... that is, I ..."

"Ahh, sorry, sorry! See, that's what I mean. You just take it, and get all flustered. You need to bite back! Insult, tease, play around. Lighten up a bit. "

"Well. Umm. That is ..." Homura stammered.

Sayaka sighed, and shook her head.

"Never mind. Let's just get you to the infirmary."

* * *

The short-haired girl turned as the door to the infirmary slid open, and Sayaka and Homura stepped into one of the few non-glassed sections of the school. For practical reasons the infirmary was opaque.

"Well, well, well. If it isn't a pair of my cute, sweet little juniors. What's wrong Miki, you stub your pinkie-toe?"

Sayaka immediately jumped, startled. Then in the next moment she regained her composure and glared at the dark-haired girl.

"Well hey there, Kure. Fancy seeing you in the infirmary. You know the infirmary doesn't have heavy drugs, right?"

Kirika grinned, amused.

"You would know all about the drugs they have here, Miss Second-Year Health Officer. I mean, how the hell does an idiot-girl like you get to be something like that anyway?"

"Actually having a personality outside of bug-nuts insane, maybe?"

"Can't be that," Kirika snarked.

"Umm, excuse me?"

"Ahh, and who is this?"

Sayaka stepped in front of Homura, spreading her arms out protectively to form a barrier.

"Hey, you keep your claws outta the transfer student, Kure."

"I don't intend to hurt her, Miki."

"We all know what you _intend_, Kure."

"Ummmmm. my name is Akemi Homura," the girl said, peering around Sayaka.

"Akemi Homura?"

Kirika regarded her for a moment. then grinned, and tried to step around Sayaka.

"Now, there is a name you don't forget once you've heard it, eh Miki?"

The bluenette shifted.

"Excuse me, but I do need to take my medicine after all."

"Ahh, sorry! See what you made me do, Kure?"

"No Miki, you're quite capable of screwing up all on your own without my help."

A dangerous expression crossed Sayaka's face, and she took a step toward Kirika.

"Please. Please, don't fight?"

Sayaka took a deep breath, but it was Kirika who spoke first.

"Yeah, of course. Sorry about that. Listen, Homura, you take your heart meds, and stay healthy, okay? Hope to see ya around all fit and stuff, you know?"

She took a step toward the door, and was once more blocked by Sayaka.

"Excuse me, I was just leaving," Kirika said quietly. Her expression was positively deadly.

Sayaka paused a moment, then stepped aside. Kirika smiled, and opened the sliding door.

"You have guts, Miki. You lack brains, but you have guts."

She left, sliding the door closed behind her.

"Moron," Sayaka muttered.

* * *

"I couldn't get anything right."

Homura wandered slowly along the walkway.

"I passed out during the warm-up lap."

The Mitakihara River was stained crimson. The windows of the skyscrapers reflected jaundiced and bloody light.

"I couldn't answer the math problem."

Homura shivered. The air was bone-chilling.

"Maybe it would have been better if I hadn't ever left the hospital."

A faint mist rolled in the still air.

"_Oi_, transfer student!"

Homura stopped abruptly, and looked up.

"Miki-san?"

Sayaka was running toward her, over the bridge. Why here?

"Hey there. You okay? You kinda had the worst day ever."

Homura shrugged, and looked down at her feet.

"I just caused trouble for everyone. Especially you."

"Why especially?"

"Because of me, you ran into that person."

"What, Kirika? Tch. No big deal, transfer student. I'll live."

Homura looked up at her.

"But why are you here?"

The mist was thickening, though neither girl seemed to notice.

"Ahhh, well since I am the health officer, I kinda felt like it was my responsibility. You took off in a hurry though. I expected you to be home already, not just moping around out here."

"Well, my home is out this way, you know."

"No kidding?"

Sayaka shivered, and glanced around.

"What's up with this weather," she said, finally noticing what was rapidly becoming a thick fog.

"I don't know. It just started all of a ..."

Homura's words died in her throat, as her eyes widened in clear terror.

"What?"

Homura, shivering, pointed over Sayaka's shoulder. She turned to look.

Three tall, statuesque figures loomed in the fog. White, vaguely human-shaped, each was draped in a simple robe. Each had an almost featureless face. Their outlines were at once sharply defined, and oddly blurred. It was as though they were not entirely on the same resolution as the rest of reality. Cubes and rectangles continually broke out from and were reabsorbed into and orbited their heads, some kind of perverted halo.

The robe of the lead one parted. A long, gangly arm-like limb reached out, and bent at what could most closely be called an elbow. It gestured with a twisted talon that could barely be called a hand.

Homura screamed.

Sayaka stepped in front of the dark-haired girl, and as she had done earlier before Kirika, spread her arms out.

The space between the thing's fingers began to glow with a sickly yellow-white light.

Then there was a sharp retort, a gun going off, and the thing's hand exploded in a cubic white mist.

"Well well."

A girl dropped down in front of them, one leg bent, the other extended. She wore a white blouse with puffy shoulders and white detached sleeves. A black corset snugged her midsection, above a short yellow skirt. Her stockings, vertically white and black stripes, stopped short of the bottom hem of her skirt to reveal well-toned thighs. She wore brown and tan boots, and a black cap. Her blonde hair was pulled into two heavy drill-bit curls. A gold wire and amber-gem hairpin held a white feather in place. In both hands she held silver guns. Heavily stylized rifles.

Her pale yellow-brown eyes glittered. A smile brightened her face despite, or perhaps because of, the monstrosities behind her.

"You two girls are lucky that I happened by this way."

"What is going on?" Sayaka managed somehow to stutter.

"Well, I'll tell you in a moment. I have something to take care of first."

She spun gracefully on one foot, and aimed her rifles at the lead creature.

Before she could fire, another girl leapt across her line of fire. She had short black hair. She wore a black tunic with long, flowing jacket-tails, a high collar, white frill at her waist and wrists, black biker shorts, white thigh-high leggings, and black ankle-boots.

Her hands were not visible, between the wrist frills and the three glowing claws extending from each. They appeared both energy and solid, real and unreal, at the same moment.

They tore through the front of the lead creature as though it were made of tissue paper. The thing writhed, staggered backward, and fell into pieces.

"You talk to damn much, Tomoe," The dark girl sneered.

The blonde didn't respond, simply shifting to one of the other targets and firing both rifles.

"Kure Kirika," Sayaka said in surprise.

She felt Homura's hands on her sides, and glanced down to see the girl peeking around her from behind like a kid, both afraid of and curious about the events. Sayaka understood all too well how she felt.

The blonde carelessly tossed her rifles aside, and two more appeared instantly in her hands.

"Stay back girls," she said, unnecessarily.

Kirika chuckled, and launched herself at the third creature's lower section. The blond in turn aimed at the thing's head.

The rifles fired, and Kirika's metal-energy claws flashed. The creature disintegrated in the same way as the others.

The fog thinned. The blonde turned to Homura and Sayaka, a bland smile on her face.

"Are you girls okay?"

"Uhhh ... yeah. Think so. What were those things?" Sayaka asked breathlessly.

Kirika's claws retracted into her sleeves. She chuckled.

"Scared, Miki?"

She walked over to stand beside Mami. Sayaka and Homura could now see that a patch covered Kirika's right eye.

"Now, Kure-san. You cannot expect them to be anything but."

"Yea," Homura managed somehow to stutter, "That was ... just unreal!"

The blond smiled.

"Those were majuu."

"Just call 'em demons, it's easier to remember that," Kirika said.

"Well. I am Tomoe Mami. You apparently know Kure Kirika already."

"Yeah," Sayaka spat.

"You both appear to be Mitakihara Middle-school students. I am as well."

"Is that so," Homura asked.

Mami nodded.

"Well, before we discuss any more, Kure-san and I have some business to attend to. We won't be more than a moment."

Sayaka gasped as Mami turned to face Kirika, a new rifle appearing in her hands.

"Aww, c'mon Tomoe! You know I go to school in this part of town. We all agreed that was no problem."

"We also agreed that you wouldn't hunt demons in this region."

"If I hadn't you woulda had your head torn off back there!"

"I was in complete control of the situation."

"You were grandstanding."

"Be that as it may, but I am perfectly capable of controlling my territory."

Kirika shrugged.

" 'Kay. But, I still deserve some of those remnants."

Mami regarded Kirika for a moment, then a smile crossed her face.

"Very well. One third, for your timely assistance."

"Bahhh. I ain't gonna dicker with you Tomoe, even if that is unfair."

As Homura watched, the two girls were enveloped in light. When it cleared, Mami and Kirika were both wearing the familiar Mitakihara school uniform. They turned, and eying one another suspiciously, began to gather up small black cubes, some the size of toy blocks, others no larger than pebbles.

"_Oi_, Kure. One third. You got your share by my count."

"Shut up, Miki. You have no say in this 'cause you ain't a magical girl."

"Magical girl," Homura asked in wonder.

"What else would they be," Sayaka asked in a frustrated, tired voice.

Homura noticed a new girl approach. Her hair was a fine platinum blond, nearly white, pulled into a high tail on the left side of her head. She wore a maroon seifuku, with white trim, and a black and white ribbon at the sailor suit's collar.

"Ahh, there is my wayward girl," she said with a smile.

"Oriko!" Kirika exclaimed in joy. She jumped up, dropping several remnants in the process, and scampered over to the side of the stately blond.

Mami gathered up the bits that Kirika had dropped, and stood up.

"Mikune Oriko-san. It is a pleasure to see you again, on terms that are less unpleasant than the last."

Oriko smiled, as she accepted Kirika's shameless embrace.

"Indeed. Has my girl caused you any trouble?"

"Well," Sayaka began, but Mami raised a hand to cut her off.

"Indeed not. She was quite helpful. Although, her actions do technically violate our agreement."

Oriko nodded, as she caressed Kirika's cheeks.

"Yes. I suspect she merely believed that you needed assistance. You are, after all, alone now in this region. Correct?"

Mami's expression hardened, and she fingered a silver ring on the middle finger of her left hand.

"As I told Kure-san, I am quite capable of holding my territory, Mikune-san."

Oriko nodded, a cold smile on her lips.

"Indeed. Well, we should be leaving then."

"Won't you come to my apartment for tea and cake?"

The offer was hollow, and both girls knew it.

"That is quite tempting, but I fear that I must decline."

"It can't be helped then. Take care, Mikune-san."

"You as well, Tomoe-san."


	2. Chapter 2

_Chapter 2_

Mami opened the door, and turned on the light as she entered. Just inside the door was a wooden shoe-rack, which the three used. A coat-tree stood her as well, upon which hung a yellow winter jacket.

On their immediate right was a door leading to the kitchen. beyond this was a room with a wood floor. In the middle of this room sat a round table on a brown and yellow patterned throw-rug. At the table were two chairs with high, heart-shaped backs. On the table itself was a bronze candlestick with a fresh white candle, two notebooks, a pile of loose paper, and a collection of pens and pencils.

Stairs led up. Shelves holding knick-knacks lined the wall behind the stairway. A bookshelf stood in front of it, holding various volumes with Japanese and English titles.

To the right, beyond am archway that led to the kitchen, was a living-room area. A green diamond patterned throw-rug sat here on the wood paneled floor. There was a glass triangle-shaped table, surrounded with inviting pillows.

Behind the table was a sofa with thick pink cushions. A white cat plushie lay between two piles of pillows. Homura smiled, and took a step toward the couch.

The plushie sat up. Homura jumped back with a squeal of surprise.

The white creature had the general shape of a cat with a thick fluffy tail, but it had certain jarring differences. It had large, unblinking red eyes, and a hollow red circular pattern on its back. Out of its catlike pair of ears, grew a second pair of ears. They had pink tips with red spots, and each had three almost finger-like projections. Paw-like, Homura thought. Finally, gold rings hovered around these ear-like extensions, with no visible means of support.

"Ah, so this is where you've been hiding. I could have used your help earlier, Kyuubey."

_Well, Tomoe Mami. I saw no reason to intervene. You appear to have reached a satisfactory arrangement with Mikune Oriko after all._

Homura blinked, and turned to Mami with a surprised look on her face. The blond smiled.

"His name is Kyuubey. He is, you might say, a messenger of magic."

_That's right. I form contracts with potential magical girls. I grant them any one wish, in exchange for becoming a puella magi, and fighting the majuu. In fact, you have the potential to become a puella magi, Akemi Homura. You do as well, Miki Sayaka._

Both girls gasped in surprise.

"How ... how do you know ..." Homura stammered.

"He's telepathic," Mami explained, "that's how he communicates. And how he always seems to know everything like that."

"I see," Homura said slowly.

* * *

Homura and Sayaka were at the table. Kyuubey had curled himself into Homura's lap, and the dark-haired girl was skritching behind his ears. Sayaka grinned at the content look on Homura's face.

"Looks like you made a friend there," she quipped.

Homura blushed lightly.

Mami walked into the room carrying a silver tray. It held three cups, a steaming teapot, and a white cake with pink frosting flowers. She smiled.

"I'm quite happy to have you here, though I certainly wish it had been under nicer circumstances."

"Yeah, what is with those demons? Majuu? What are they?"

_Well, if a __P__uella __M__agi is a being born of a wish, then a __M__ajuu is a being born of a curse. They are mysterious and powerful beings that feed off of anger, and hatred, and apathy. They are the cause of many of the world's unexplained murders and suicides, and sometimes they will even directly consume a human being._

"Consume?" Homura asked in a wavering, frightened voice.

"Yes. You two were terribly lucky that I happened along when I did. I suspect that those demons had intended to make a meal of you."

Homura's face twisted in terror, and Mami shrugged, with a bland smile on her face.

"Sorry to alarm you."

"N .. no, it's ok. If that is what they intended ... but how can it be true? I've never seen them before."

"Yeah, me either. Why now?"

"I wonder," Mami asked contemplatively.

_That is a good question. It is quite rare that even potential __P__uellae __M__agi can see them. There is something truly unusual about the two of you. Perhaps especially so of you, Akemi Homura._

Homura's eyes widened in surprise.

"Are there more magical girls than just you three," Sayaka asked, before Homura could comment.

"Yes. There are quite a few."

"Why don't you all work together, then? I mean, you have a common cause, and together you and Kure destroyed them pretty quick tonight."

"Well, you see, when you destroy a demon, it breaks apart into grief cubes. The remnants that you saw Kure-san and I collecting. These grief cubes are then necessary to clean your soul gem. And while there are often quite a few that come from a demon, as you saw, there never are quite enough. At least for some magical girls. So it can quickly become competitive."

"Soul gem," asked Homura?

_The source of your magical power. The essence of your being. It is quite literally your soul encased safely in a shell to allow you to fight without fear of death._

"Yes," agreed Mami.

She held out her left hand. The silver ring the two had noticed before, blurred. Melted, and reshaped itself into a yellow crystalline ovoid, in a gold framework. It was topped with a five-petaled flower shape that looked like Mami's hairpins.

"Pretty," Homura whispered. She was reminded of the pictures she had seen of those jeweled Russian Easter eggs.

"What's the black stuff," Sayaka asked.

_You need to clean your soul gem, Tomoe Mami._

"I see that, Kyuubey. Your soul gem builds up corruption, from using magic, or from having negative emotions. You use grief cubes to clean that out, as I mentioned before."

Mami set her soul gem on the table. It stood upright on a wide base. She placed a small pile of grief cubes beside it. As they watched, the black mist within the gem began to flow out, infusing the cubes. They seemed to radiate darkness and negativity. Homura instinctively flinched backward.

Kyuubey hopped up onto the table.

_Demons can sometimes spawn from these remnants, especially once they have been saturated with __corruption__. Also, my kind uses the resulting energy to help stave off the spread of entropy. Because of this, I take care of these remnants. That, and granting wishes by forming contracts, are my duties._

"You said that earlier, Kyuubey. Wishes? We can wish for anything?"

_That's right, Akemi Homura. You have the potential, so just about anything that you could wish for, would certainly become true!_

A slow grin crossed Sayaka's face, and her eyes sparkled.

"So ... we could wish for anything? Like unlimited wealth? Or eternal youth? Or a grand feast fit for the Emperor of China?!"

"I'm not too sure about that last one," Mami said with a chuckle.

"Umm ... what happens if you do not clean your soul gem," Homura asked, eyeing the pile of grief cubes nervously again.

Mami noticed this, so she scooped them up. Kyuubey trotted over to her, on the table-top. The red shape on his back opened, and she tossed them into the resulting black gap.

"Whoa, just like a trashcan!" Sayaka muttered.

"We're not entirely sure." Mami explained to Homura. "Corruption, it's literally corruption of your soul. Allowing too much should somehow hurt or disfigure, or even kill, a magical girl. Instead, she seems to simply disappear. We call it, 'Taken by the Law of the Cycles'."

_You humans are quite adept at shaping the factual information into a form that is pleasing to your sensibilities. We simply do not understand what happens, regardless of what mythological trappings you apply to it._

"That sounds terrible," Homura whispered in shock.

"Perhaps. The magical girls that helped me out when I first contracted didn't think so. They said that their mentor seemed ... how do I explain it? She seemed _happy_ when it happened to her. Like, just before her disappearance, all of her pain, and suffering, and horror, were simply gone."

"I guess those girls you mention disappeared too?" Sayaka asked, still staring at Kyuubey.

Mami nodded.

"This all sounds so dangerous."

"It is, Akemi-san. I won't lie to you. It can involve pain, suffering, despair, and even death. However, you gain your heart's desire, and the ability to make a difference. Every demon we kill, is one less to torment or harm a human."

_If you form a contract with me, Akemi Homura, surely it would be no trouble whatsoever for you._

"Well, we won't pressure either of you. It's your decision to make, and not an easy one."

Mami took a sip of her tea, and then her face lit up brilliantly.

"I have an idea. Perhaps, if you would be willing, you could follow me on a demon hunt, tomorrow after school?"

"That would be really dangerous for us though, wouldn't it?"

"Yes, Akemi-san. However, you have seen me fight. You know that I can protect you. Both of you, in fact."

Sayaka smiled, though there was a far-away quality to her expression.

"Yeah. Yeah, I will do it!"

Kyuubey trotted rapidly over to her.

_Miki Sayaka, what wish will make your soul gem shine?_

"Eh? No, I didn't mean that, not right away! I mean, I'll follow Tomoe-senpai for a while.'"

"senpai," Mami said, her voice wistful.

Homura smiled, her nervousness still evident.

"I will too, then."

Sayaka nodded.

"That's the spirit, transfer student."

* * *

The room was large. A couch with purple satin cushions and four matching chairs sat arranged in a semi-circle around a sturdy ebony coffee table. They faced an unused fireplace. The walls were lined with bookshelves. Many of the volumes were antiques, first editions of European and American literature, or classic Japanese texts. A chandelier above gave a warm, subdued light.

On the couch, Oriko and Kirika lounged, content. Oriko's arms were wrapped around Kirika's waist, and that girl nuzzled softly against Oriko's chest.

"You did well," Oriko said quietly. Kirika practically purred.

_So, you had planned for her to intervene in the manner that she did?_

"Ahh, Shiromaru! I wondered where ya were!" Kirika said, not moving from her comfortable position.

Kyuubey sat on a windowsill. The view behind him included the rose garden, and the cherry orchard, and the small grove of trees that Kirika had called her forest.

Oriko chuckled softly, caressing the back of Kirika's head.

"Well, I mean he normally is the first to show up when there's fresh meat," Kirika said.

Kyuubey leapt off of his perch, and padded over to the foot of the couch.

_You are correct, that I noticed the potential of the girl named Akemi Homura. I calculated the odds being quite high, that Kirika's actions would lead to conflict._

"You should know Tomoe Mami better than that, Kyuubey," Oriko said softly.

_It was not Mami that concerned me_, Kyuubey replied.

If Oriko hadn't known better, she might have suspected Kyuubey of sarcasm.

"My pet knew her place and role," Oriko whispered, favoring Kirika with a soft kiss on her forehead.

Kirika giggled in delight.

_I see. Well, I will not pretend to understand your schemes, nor shall I enquire further._

"So. I assume further that you will, as usual, remain neutral."

_Of course. My interest is quite focused._

"Corrupting little girls?" Kirika snarked.

_I do not see it as a form of corruption. I am, in fact, granting both wishes and power._

"She was joking," Oriko said patiently.

_I see. Humor is one of many human concepts that is difficult for my kind to understand._

"No kidding," Kirika muttered.

* * *

"I'm home."

Homura's voice echoed in the dark emptiness.

She closed the door with a sigh and turned on the spider lamp on a wooden table near the door. Light shone on a laptop computer on that desk, beside a notebook and a box of pencils. To her right was a loveseat with threadbare orange cushions. It faced a small portable TV. On one side was a short, particle-board shelving-unit holding a collection of faded, raggedy books.

She set her satchel down and slipped off her shoes. She took short walk down the hallway past a too-small kitchen, and made a right turn into her bedroom.

She glanced at a picture on the dresser. It showed a dark-haired, purple-eyed man with greying temples, a woman with long, dark hair and pale blue eyes, and a young girl with thick braided twin-tails and purple eyes.

"Mom. Dad. I wish ... maybe I shouldn't say it like that. I miss you both. So very much."

She sighed, and shrugged. She slipped her school uniform off, and changed into purple pajamas. She pulled her glasses off, and set them gently on the small wooden table that worked as a nightstand. She sighed once more, and slipped under the covers.

* * *

"Heya, Tomoe."

Mami glanced up. Kirika had entered the nearly-empty classroom. It was the beginning of a school-day, and Mami was surprised to see Kirika early. Mami herself liked to be on time, though the dark-haired girl was quite often tardy.

"Kure-san."

She grinned, and set her bag down on her seat. She sat one row over from, and three seats behind, Tomoe Mami.

Mami could hear Kirika behind her, rustling around in her bag. Mitakihara Middle School was neutral territory. Even in the darkest days right before the agreement, they hadn't come to blows here. That surely would not change. Because of this, Mami let her attention lapse away from Kirika.

_Oi, Transfer student! Isn't this cool?_

_I suppose so, Miki Sayaka. _

_It really is. Hah! Now we have an edge over everyone else! Don't we have a test coming up soon?_

_Girls, it isn't considered appropriate to use telepathic powers to cheat. Particularly if the powers don't properly belong to you in the first place._

_Ahh, Mami-san! Sorry!_

_Sorry, Tomoe-san._

Mami almost chuckled, but kept her expression neutral, as though she was studying.

"Here."

Mami glanced up at Kirika slowly. She had sensed the girl approach of course.

Kirika had a wolfish grin on her face, and her hands were behind her back.

"Yes, Kure-san?"

"Close your eyes, and hold out your hands."

Mami regarded her for a moment, then shrugged and complied. She felt as Kirika placed a box in the palms of her hand, with a faint chuckle.

Mami opened her eyes. The box was wrapped in yellow and black striped wrapping-paper, and tied with a yellow ribbon.

"I guess I kinda missed White Day, but this should say, 'sorry for last night.' "

There was an audible gasp from one side of the room, and Mami and Kirika both glanced over to a girl with maroon, hime-styled hair and thin, silver-rimmed glasses. She had a blush on her face, and was desperately trying to pretend not to be overhearing.

Kirika giggled. Mami shook her head slowly, and turned back to Kirika.

"Well. Thank you Kure-san, but last night was simply a misunderstanding, and in no way to be construed as anything requiring apologies. And certainly not presents."

Mami half-glanced at the other girl, who was now staring intently at a textbook, pretending to study.

"Oi, Chie. That book of yours is upside down," Kirika shouted with a sadistic grin.

* * *

"So, you did better today, transfer student."

Homura shrugged, and glanced around herself, uncertain.

"I don't think so."

The mall was busy, mostly with middle- and high-school students. Sayaka and Homura, joined by the green-haired Shizuki Hitomi, worked their way through the crowd, for the cafe. It was a popular meeting-place for students, and had been adopted by Sayaka and Hitomi in particular.

"You really have improved quite quickly, Akemi-san," Hitomi assured her

Homura couldn't respond, merely shrugging dismissively.

"It's just been so long."

They arrived at the cafe, and found the line not yet terrible.

"So are you from Mitakihara originally," Hitomi asked.

"Actually, yes. But I haven't lived here since I was young. We moved to Tokyo, where my dad worked. Then when my mom ... well, when she died, we moved again."

"Oh. I am sorry," Hitomi said diplomatically.

"No, it's ok. So much has happened since then. When I had to go into the hospital for an extended time, because of my heart, well ... my dad set me up here, and he moved back to Tokyo."

"That's terrible! What kind of a creep is your dad anyway?"

"Sayaka-san, please," Hitomi chided.

"I mean it! Sending your young daughter off to live alone, one with heart disease to boot, while you live it up in Tokyo!"

Homura clenched her fists, and frowned. Her eyes narrowed, and it looked as though she might break down into tears.

"It's ... it's because of the hospital, Miki-san. They are really good, you know? If I have more problems they can take care of me. My doctor is here now too. And ... and I am ok with it. I really am, so... so please, do not speak ill of my father."

"Wow. Sorry," Sayaka said, eyes growing wide. She almost looked impressed.

They entered the cafe, and glanced around. Every table had someone sitting at it.

Then, to one side of the room, a familiar blonde, with corkscrew-drill hair, stood, and waived at them.

"Oh, it's Mami-san," Sayaka said.

Homura took a few deep breaths, and nodded her head. She still looked upset.

"A friend of yours?" Hitomi asked.

"Yeah, a cool senior we met last night," Sayaka said aloud. _Umm, Kyuubey. Shouldn't you be .. hiding or something?_she projected.

The white creature sat in the middle of the table, glancing around at the many customers as they passed by.

_There's no need to worry, Miki Sayaka. As with the demons, normal humans are unable to see my kind, unless we choose to reveal ourselves._

"You're welcome to join us," Homura said politely to Hitomi.

"I may for a moment. I usually eat with Sayaka after school, but I do have a lesson tonight."

"Lesson?" Homura asked.

"Yes, Tea Ceremony."

"Wow. That is somewhat amazing, Shizuki-san."

"Yeah. Hey, you probably would like Mami-san. She's big on tea too," Sayaka said with a grin.

The four girls sat. Hitomi ate a light sandwich with soda. Sayaka and Homura both had more substantial meals, and Mami, who had apparently eaten already, sipped a chai latte.

They had a meaningless conversation, until Hitomi excused herself.

"Okay then. Have the two of you decided?"

Sayaka glanced at Homura, and nodded.

"Yeah. We'll follow you tonight."

Homura nodded in confirmation.

"I have something I want to pick up before we go, though."

"Oh?" asked Mami.

"Well, I just think I'd feel better if .. I mean, if I had something to defend myself with."

"Oh. Well, I can provide you with something," Mami said, in a slightly hurt voice.

"No, she's right Mami-san. If we can stop by the school first, I can think of something I need too."

* * *

"So, you wanna trade or something?"

Sayaka had a baseball bat resting on her shoulder. She smirked at Homura, who clutched the handle of a golf club with both hands. She blushed lightly. Kyuubey was perched atop Homura's shoulder.

"Miki-san," Mami chided lightly.

"What? Oh c'mon, the jokes write themselves, Mami-san."

Mami shook her head.

"Regardless of that, you need to focus. You both agreed to follow me tonight to learn what it means to be a magical girl."

The street leading away from the school was eerily quiet. The sun had already set, and the combination of the streetlights and the moon kept the sky a starless, dark, nearly black shade of blue. A few people walked along, quietly, huddled into themselves against the early spring chill.

They crossed the bridge leading toward the old residential section. Dark European-styled houses sat in nervous silence, slits of light visible through drawn curtains.

They passed Homura's house. The wind picked up. Mist began rising, swirling up from the streets.

"It's thick tonight," Homura said quietly. Her voice wavered nervously.

They stopped. Mami's soul gem was glowing.

"I am very impressed, Akemi-san. You noticed the miasma at nearly the same time I did."

"I don't see it yet," Sayaka said with a frustrated sigh.

Mami glanced at Sayaka, then returned her gaze to Homura.

"Are you certain you have never seen miasma in the past?"

Homura shrugged.

"I know I've never seen Majuu before, at least."

Mami nodded.

_Homura, you have one of the highest potentials that I have seen. Even so, I cannot explain why you are so perceptive to the demons._

"Hey, I think I see it now. Yeah, looks pretty bad. You sure we're gonna be safe, Mami-san?"

"Yes. Stay back while I fight, and if any demons approach, feel free to run."

"Thanks," Sayaka said with a touch of sarcasm.

They walked another block, before seeing them. There were a dozen of the creatures, looming up in the eerie white-darkness of the miasma. Mami transformed.

"Miki-san. Hand me your bat."

"Ok. Why?"

Mami took it in her left hand, and ran her right hand slowly up the shaft. The bat glowed. As they watched, it turned a golden color, growing wicked spikes.

"Whoa," Sayaka muttered, wide-eyed. Mami grinned, and handed Sayaka the resulting mace.

Timidly, glancing down at her feet with red cheeks, Homura held her golf club out to Mami.

"Umm .. can you .. do that for me too?"

Mami chuckled softly, and placed both of her hands on the golf club. It flashed yellow. The shaft shortened, but grew thick. The wedge shifted into a solid, hammer-like head. A spike grew out the backside.

"There. Now remember, even with those weapons, you won't be a match for a demon. Only use them if you absolutely must. And ideally, while you're running away."

Homura and Sayaka shared a worried glance.

Mami smiled, and spun on her toes. Muskets appeared in both of her hands.

"Okay, here I go!"

As Sayaka and Homura watched, Mami jumped forward, immediately attracting the attention of the demons. Homura was certain it would be too much even for Mami to handle. A quick glance in her direction, and Homura saw that Sayaka looked equally worried.

A demon raised it's bony taloned arm, and gestured. A white blast of energy sizzled across the space toward Mami. She effortlessly leapt aside, and tugged at the yellow ribbon at her collar.

With a wink toward Homura and Sayaka, she flung the ribbon in the direction of the demons. It expanded outward, forming a net-like wall. Half of the demons were ensnared, and as the ribbons contracted into a writhing ball of trapped demons, she turned and fired both muskets.

Two demons instantly collapsed into glowing remnants.

Mami tossed the rifle-muskets to one side, and they were immediately replaced.

Two more shots, and two more demons died. One demon charged Mami with surprising speed. Two bony arms reached out from under the white robes.

Homura gasped.

Mami spun and lashed out with both empty rifles. The bony arms were batted to one side. Mami jumped backward, dropping her muskets. More ribbons flew out, entangling the demon's limbs.

As two more muskets appeared in her hands, demons began to rip free from the ball of ribbon. She fired twice more. Two of those demons vanished.

"Now, I'll finish the rest in one shot!"

Homura and Sayaka watched in surprise, as Mami summoned a dozen rifles. She spun her ribbon, which expanded and wrapped itself around them. The wrapped rifles compressed with a flash, into a massive cannon.

"Tiro ... _Finale_!"

The gun fired with a massive yellow flash, and a concussion that was felt more than heard.

The yellow projectile of energy seared the six remaining demons. They writhed in agony, and disintegrated into glowing, multi-colored cubes. At the same time, the miasma lost its thickness, and dissipated.

Homura blinked. As her vision cleared, she could see the cubes begin to cool from colorful, to bright white, to grey, and finally ending as dull black.

"Wow, so cool!" Sayaka exclaimed, as Mami busily gathered up the greying remnants.

"It was kinda cool," Homura agreed with a grin.

Mami smiled, and turned with a flourish. Homura and Sayaka watched in admiration.

Then, before they realized what was happening, she tossed a hand-full of remnants into the darkness of a nearby alley.

"This is what you want, right?"

A familiar laugh was heard in the darkness, and both Homura and Sayaka took an involuntary step backward.

"Kure Kirika. You are after these grief cubes, if I am not incorrect."

Kirika stepped out from the shadows, in her magical girl outfit. She was smiling, a wolfish fang visible. Her uncovered eye twinkled.

"As if, Mami. You think Oriko an' me are so hard up we gotta ambush you or something?"

Mami shrugged, her smile widening.

"The thought had crossed my mind."

Kirika's expression changed subtly. Her eye narrowed, and her smile turned cold and dangerous.

"Mind your tongue, Tomoe, or I'll tear it out and mind it myself."

"Sharp words, Kure-san. Does Mikune-san know you're here?"

"Maybe," she said, her expression turning playful. Then with a giggle, she tossed the grief cubes back toward Mami.

"I don't need your crumbs tonight, Tomoe, so you can have them back. Hey, Homura. Nice to see ya again. Take care of yourself, eh? Nice to see you too, Miki."

Before either shocked girl could respond, Kirika turned and jumped away, far faster than either would have expected. Even knowing her to be a magical girl.

Mami released the breath she hadn't realized she was holding.

"She sure seems to have some interest in transfer student here," Sayaka said in a surprised voice.

"Well, Mikune Oriko is said to have powers of foresight. Perhaps she has seen something about Akemi-san that troubles her."

Homura shrugged. She had been doing that quite a lot recently.

"Everyone seems to think that I'm someone special somehow. It's really kind of scary."

"Ahh, don't worry transfer student. Kure's just a brat. She's just trying to get under our skins by prodding at you."

"That may be it," Mami said, "but even so, it would be wise for you to be careful, Akemi-san. I doubt that they would be willing to violate the agreement just over one potential magical girl, however powerful she may be - but one can never tell."

* * *

The teacher standing in front of the class was clearly a foreigner. He wore thin, silver-rimmed glasses, and had a bushy, greying beard. He was unusually tall, but his habitual expression was that of vague amusement, as though just that moment he was remembering a particularly funny joke. His unusual looks, kindly demeanor, and flawless Japanese made him something of a celebrity at Mitakihara Middle School.

"Alright, thank you Nakazawa-kun. Next. Let me see. Akemi Homura-san, can you please read, starting from where we left off?"

Homura stood nervously, and glanced down at the book.

"Now, just take your time, Akemi-san. I know you've been in the hospital for some time, and this is not an easy passage, aside from being in English. Please, do your best."

Homura nodded, cleared her throat, and began:

Oh, blindness to the future! kindly given,  
That each may fill the circle, marked by Heaven:  
Who sees with equal eye, as God of all,  
A hero perish, or a sparrow fall,  
atoms or systems into ruin hurled,  
And now a bubble burst, and now a world.

"Yes, thank you Akemi-san. That wasn't too bad."

Homura blushed, and sat back down.

The bell, signaling the end of the period and beginning of lunch, sounded.

"Okay, thank you everyone! I realize Alexander Pope is a difficult read, but keep at it, and next time, we'll discuss what Pope really means in this section."

Homura started to stand up, when Sayaka was rather abruptly standing over her.

"You have a lunch, transfer student?"

"Umm. Yes, Miki-san. I do."

"Cool. C'mon, I'll show ya a great place to eat!"

"Okay."

Homura gathered her bento, and the light novel she had been reading, and hurried along after Sayaka.

"You understand any of this ... what is it, a poem? An essay? A novel?"

Homura smiled.

"Well, a little."

Sayaka laughed, and scratched the back of her head.

"I basically only understand half of the words, and the half that I do understand are put together all weird."

"It's a really hard book," Homura admitted, "but we are supposed to be the best and brightest of Mitakihara Town."

A huge grin slowly formed on Sayaka's face.

"You're kidding, right?"

Homura blushed, and shrugged.

Sayaka made her way to the stairwell, going up past the third-year's floor, and up another flight-and-a-half. She opened the door, and stepped out to the school roof.

"Wow," Homura said quietly.

Beyond the white-painted wrought-iron fence, the skyline of the city stretched out before them, beneath the azure blue dome of the mid-day sky.

"I know! This is, like, the best view in town, outside of all the really tall buildings in the downtown area."

Homura walked slowly to the fencing, reaching out with one hand, as though to touch a fluffy cloud that was hanging low in the sky. She heard Sayaka giggle softly.

"Are we really allowed to be up here?"

"Why not? They wouldn't put a seat and a fancy white safety fence if no one was supposed to be up here, right?"

"I suppose so," Homura said uncertainly.

Sayaka wandered over to the low marble bench. It was in the middle of the roof. Homura followed her. They sat down to eat. Homura opened her bento box. Sayaka glanced at her lunch, and supressed a chuckle. It was a chaotic mess of rice and fried chicken pieces, with a few disorganized vegetables scattered around.

"What," Homura asked.

"Nothing," Sayaka said with a grin, opening her own bento.

"Wow, what a fabulous lunch!"

Sayaka shrugged. There was a section of white rice, and one of fried rice. Four large shrimp sat in one corner, and pickled vegetables in another. In fact, it looked fairly pathetic to her own eyes. She secretly was glad they didn't have one of Hitomi's finely-crafted works of culinary art to compare to.

"So, transfer student. Thought about your wish?"

"Well. Yes, a little. But I don't know. What could be worth that kind of price?"

Sayaka sighed, and stood up.

"Yeah. You know, it's stupid. I mean, there are girls out there right now starving to death, and being bombed out of their homes. And here we are, sitting up on the roof of a school which we attend for free, wondering what kind of luxuries we should wish for."

"When you put it that way, it does sound rather stupid," Homura said quietly.

Sayaka walked slowly to the edge of the roof.

"You know, even here in Japan there must be people who would jump at a chance like this. People with lives that have been shattered ..."

Sayaka's eyes went wide as her voice trailed off. She gripped the white-painted fence lining the roof, and looked out over the Mitakihara skyline. A warm, soft breeze blew. A pink cherry-petal fluttered past.

"I could wish to fix my heart, I suppose," Homura said,"but would that be worth it? I feel so much better you know. And I wonder, would it really be something I would trade my soul for? That would be ironic. Trading a soul for a heart."

Sayaka chuckled mirthlessly.

"So, this is where you gals hang out, eh?"

Sayaka and Homura turned in susprise. Kirika stood in the open door-way leading back into the school.

"Kure. What're you doing here?"

Kirika smirked, and strolled forward, allowing the door to slam behind her. Her path was, clearly, directly to the bench where Homura was seated. Sayaka moved to intercept her.

"Miki-san, please," Homura said quietly.

Kirika smirked, and stepped around Sayaka. She sat down on one side of Homura. Sayaka, frowning, sat down on the other side, watching Kirika carefully.

"Why?" asked Homura.

"Cause I'm worried about ya, Homura."

"I don't buy that," Sayaka said.

"Don't much care about you, Miki."

"But why?" Homura repeated.

"She has a reputation in this school, transfer student. She's something of a predator."

Kirika giggled.

"A carefully-crafted reputation, Miki. No one likes me much anyway, so I don't give a damn. Some girls are scared, others have a crush, even if they'd never fess up to it. It all works."

"Just ego, if you ask me."

"Which I didn't."

"I still don't understand," Homura said quietly.

"You will, I promise you that."

Kirika stood up slowly. She started to walk back to the door. Then she stopped, turned, and leaned in close to Sayaka.

"Oh yeah, one more thing. I would recommend you not contract, Miki Sayaka. Not if you know what's good for ya. It's hard work, you know, and I don't think you're up for it. Wouldn't wanna, say, have a _back-full of claw_ some night. Right after fighting demons. Getting all tired, with your magic low, and all."

Sayaka glared back at her.

"You're nothing, Kure. I might make a contract just to teach you some manners."

Kirika's expression hardened. Her eyes narrowed, and she leaned in closer. For a moment, Homura thought she might say something else.

Kirika's hands lashed out, gripping Sayaka's throat. She tumbled backward with a yelp, hitting her back on the graveled rooftop. Kirika followed the momentum, straddling Sayaka's waist, and still gripping her throat with both hands.

Homura screeched, and stood up.

"You contract you die," Kirika said through gritted teeth.

Before Homura could do anything else, Kirika was on her feet. Smiling happily, as though nothing had happened.

"Seeya round, Homura."

Homura ran to Sayaka's side. The bluenette slowly pulled herself up, shaking.

"Are you okay?!"

"Oh ... sure. She didn't really hurt me, you know. I was just ... surprised. That's all."

* * *

The rest of the day passed quietly. Homura and Sayaka walked out of the gate to the school grounds. The sky was pale and hazy. Both cautiously looked around to make sure Kirika wasn't coming after them again.

Sayaka noticed Homura's worried expression, and chuckled.

"Scared, transfer student?"

"Well, there is good reason to be."

"Guess so. Say, why don't you come with me to the music store tonight, before we meet up with Mami."

"Really? Well, I don't listen to much music."

"Good time to start. I can help you find some good stuff to listen to, if you like."

"Oh. Well, actually I think I am just going to go home. We do have homework, and ... well, I have a lot to think about."

"Yeah. Okay, transfer student. Be safe going home, and see you later."

"Thanks. You too."

* * *

Sayaka looked up at the tall, glass and steel building. The sun's rays, just beginning to turn orange, reflected off the windows.

"If demons like eating humans, then I guess they'd pick where they were weak. Like ... hospitals."

She shivered, then blinked. No time to ponder such things. She was here for a reason!

She had to show the bag to the front desk clerk. It was standard procedure. They wanted to make sure no patients were getting unapproved food or anything, after all.

The elevator was mostly glass, like much of the rest of the hospital. The view as she rose up from the ground floor was stunning. The river glimmered in the dying sun's rays. Just to her right, the height of Mitakihara Tower rose, along with the other tall buildings. It was fortunate, as this provided a view, however faint, of the distant, rippling waves of the ocean.

Exiting the elevator, she glanced at her watch.

"Ahh, I'm late! I almost missed visiting hour."

She took a deep breath, and sprinted down the hallway. A nurse watched her dart past with a scowl.

She made it however, and with a sigh, opened the sliding door.

The window was open. Curtains were billowing in the breeze. The fading light highlighted a silver-haired boy in bed. The walls of his room were wood-paneled, with many shelves. They mostly held CDs, of classical music. On the table beside his bed sat a portable CD player and pile of discs.

"Kyousuke!"

The boy was facing away from her. He didn't acknowledge her entrance.

"I brought you another CD today! Debussy. I know you love Debussy."

She smiled, and closed the door behind her as she entered. Kyousuke turned his head toward her. His pale blue eyes were dull.

"This one has that one you played with Hitomi back then, _Clair de Lune_, and _La Fille aux Cheveaux de Lin_, and ..."

"Sayaka."

She blinked, not used to him interrupting her. She sat down on the chair beside his bed.

"Yes?"

He turned away from her.

"Do you hate me?"

Sayaka blinked, and glanced down at the plastic bag in her hands.

"Huh?"

Kyousuke grimaced, and clenched his hand, into more of a tight claw than a fist.

"I said, do you hate me? Are you trying to torture me? Rub it into my face, that I can't play this music anymore? Why, Sayaka? Why do you think that I want to hear this stuff anymore?"

"But ... Kyousuke, this music. It is ... it's your life."

Sayaka winced, immediately regretting her choice of words.

"Yeah. And now my life is useless, isn't it?"

Sayaka frowned, and shook her head.

"That isn't true! have some faith. Your doctors can fix ..."

"No, Sayaka. They can't. They told me to give up."

He turned back to her. Sayaka's mouth hung open in shock, for a moment.

"What?"

"The damage is too great. It won't ever happen. Really. So just .. dammit, Sayaka, stop tormenting me!"

He swung his hand, slamming it onto the pile of CDs on the stand beside his bed. They shattered with a loud crash. Blood splattered from his hand.

Sayaka recoiled in shock and horror, knocking over the chair. The shock lasted only for a moment, before she launched herself forward, across his body, grasping his arm to keep him from hurting himself further.

"No! No, that isn't true. I don't care what they say, Kyousuke."

"I can't feel the pain, Sayaka. I can't even feel the pain. It is all hopeless. Only .. magic, or a miracle, would do anything now."

"They exist. Both magic and miracles. They exist!"

Kyuubey watched from across the street. His unblinking eyes and unchanging grin revealed no emotions. He stood, and in a sudden flurry of motion, leapt across the street to the roof of the hospital.

* * *

Note:

Quote from Alexander Pope, _Essay on Man_, Epistle 1.3 verses 85-90, from the text available on Project Gutenberg.


	3. Chapter 3

_Chapter 3_

The setting sun imparted a warm glow to the buildings, and the river, and the sparse, streaky clouds overhead. A gust of wind, surprisingly cold, blew through the wrought-iron fencing around the rooftop edge.

Sayaka shivered.

"So, will that work? I mean, is it a good wish?"

Kyuubey sat before her on his haunches. He looked up at Sayaka.

_Of course. That is certainly a wish within your potential._

"Ok then. Then, that is what I wish for!"

Sayaka wasn't certain for a moment if something was supposed to happen, or if it was just granted like that. There was another gust of wind, rustling her short skirt. A sharp pain shot through her chest, and she winced.

She gave a muffled cry of pain as she felt a ripping sensation in her chest. She stumbled backward, as a blue orb of glowing light pulled itself from her chest, to hang in the air in front of her. Her eyes went wide. Her pain subsided, to be replaced with a prickly, nostalgic feeling that she was unable to explain.

_Now, accept your destiny, Miki Sayaka!_

* * *

Akemi Homura sat on her couch. Her television was on, and the news was playing. She wasn't really listening to it. Her attention was on the book in her hands, the reading she had for her Literature course in school.

" 'Hope springs eternal in the human breast:' "

Homura chuckled. The wording was a bit awkward, but not so much that she couldn't grasp what it meant.

"Man never is, but always to be blest:  
The soul, uneasy and confined from home,  
Rests and expatiates in a life to come."

Homura frowned in confusion. It seemed to mean that humans weren't ... blessed, she assumed it meant, but were going to be. In heaven?

"Hmmm. Pope was English. And Christian, I guess. But that one word."

She reached for the Japanese-English dictionary beside her.

"Ex ... ex ... ex-pat-i-ate ..."

There was no entry. She sighed.

"I hope that isn't really important here."

She shook her head, and set the book down.

"I just don't get it. What does it mean? What does it really mean?"

_To what do you refer, Akemi Homura?_

Homura darted up off the couch with a yelp, looking up at where the voice seemed to come from. On her television sat a white cat-like creature. It's long bushy tail hung down, obscuring the picture.

"Kyuubey?"

_Yes, Akemi Homura? _

"Don't do that! You scared me."

_I see. I apologize. I was under the impression that you had further questions._

"Of course I do. But I don't know where to begin. It's all so scary. And so strange. I really don't think that I can do it, Kyuubey."

_That is a pity. Well, I have recently concluded a contract with a different girl, so I am not desperate for you to contract at this time. However, I still believe that with your potential, any wish you could imagine would come true. And, your power would be terribly useful. It would after all go quite a way to meeting our current quota._

* * *

The room was normally kept dark, except for the soft multi-colored glow of multiple computer monitors running screen-savers. The floor was concrete, and the walls plasterboard. A dehumidifier and air conditioner ran nonstop to keep the room at the precise conditions necessary for the computer system to function properly. A futon was rolled up in one corner of the room, and there were several throw-rugs also rolled up along the edges of the walls.

The door opened, and a girl entered the room. She was around 14 or 15, with piercing blue eyes, and long black hair, that was tied into two loose side-tails by red ribbons. She wore a sleeveless white dress that reached to her mid-thighs, and knee-length black socks.

Entering the room, she glanced at the walls. They were covered with bookshelves of every description. And these shelves held manga titles, and DVD and Blu-Ray cases, numerous plushes, framed pictures of J-pop and K-pop idols, and apparently hundreds of glass boxes containing Figma, Nendoroids, other kinds of dolls and figurines, models, and miniatures.

She leaned out the door. There was a short hallway, and a flight of stairs leading up.

"I'm going to film now," she shouted out the door.

An older woman with greying hair and the same eyes, if somewhat dulled by the years, appeared at the top of the stairway. She smiled, and waved down at the girl.

"Okay dear. Have fun," she said in a quiet voice. The younger girl barely heard her.

She closed and locked the door. She hated being interrupted, after all.

She trotted over to one wall, and unrolled a light blue rug, setting it carefully on the floor. She padded over to the computer. She moved the mouse, causing the screens to blink back to life, revealing numerous web-pages, including several live streams.

She ignored them. Instead, she set a small spherical camera up on the low desk, just behind the keyboard.

She activated a program, and a screen changed from a live feed of some kind of reality show house to the picture from the camera. The girl looked carefully at it, with a frown. She sighed, and moved around the room, adjusting the rug, and some of the books and other things on her shelf.

When the image was to her liking, she nodded, with a grin, and started yet another program.

She stood up, watching herself do so in one of the monitors.

She nodded, and a light began to flash on the control panel of one of the programs. She struck a pose, and began.

"Oha, hello, hej, und guten-tag, allihop! It's your one and only, very most favoritist magical girl, Elly!"

She grinned widely, and tapped her chin with her left index finger, before spinning.

"It's a glorious day in Mitakihara, friends. The wraiths are scarce but generous with their remnants. So little ol' me is again taking time out of her really really busy schedule to shower her love on all of you!"

She giggled, and held her left hand out. Her soul gem formed. It was bright blue, shimmering faintly with her joy and energy and magic. It was encased in a bright gold metal framework, and topped with a heart-shape.

"Everyone ready? Okay, let's go then! With unbounded love! Overflowing with joy! The Guardian of Song and Justice! Puella Magi Elly!"

She posed as she shouted, and her body was enveloped in a bright blue glow. It faded just enough to show the outline of her body, details fogged out. She stretched her arms out, and her torso was enveloped in blue light. It popped into the form of a dress with a dark blue sleeveless bodice with white lace frills at the neck, shoulders, and waist, a knee-length yellow wrap-around skirt with dark blue lace edging, starting at her left hip, flowing around her body and leaving a gap at her left thigh filled by a white under-skirt. Her legs were enveloped next, popping into silky black opaque hose. Her arms from her hands to her elbows gained similar black silk gloves. On her feet appeared thick, high-heeled shoes, red, attached to ribbons that twined their way up her legs, ending in large bows vaguely resembling wings at her knees. Finally, her soul gem appeared, a blue heart shape in a square gold framework, on her upper chest. Her hair, including the red ribbons, remained unchanged.

She gestured. Music started. It was the new hot single Connect. It was the karaoke version, so Elly herself could sing the lyrics.

She sang and danced, pouring every kilowatt of her honest, earnest energy into the performance. Of course, it didn't hurt that she really was a magical girl.

Elly giggled yet again.

"That's always so much fun! Okay, friends. You wanted to see what the remnants look like, right? Well, I haven't shown you so far because, well, you know, I gotta use them to keep my soul gem just as pure as the rest of me."

She grinned, and twirled with a flourish.

"But today, just for you, I saved a couple. So here they are."

She opened her right hand. Two dull grey cubes sat in her palm. Another magical girl would have been able to tell that they hadn't been used.

"See, the big, nasty wraiths crumble into these when they are destroyed. With love and justice!"

She tossed the cubes into the air, spun, and caught them in her left hand. When she opened her hand again, they were gone.

"Okay, for my next ..."

Her soul gem began to pulsate and glow.

"Oh no! I am so sorry, friends, but wraiths are attacking someone! Puella Magi Elly has to go save them, for great justice!"

She gestured again, and the light stopped blinking on her computer. She eyed a screen, and when she was sure that the live feed was cut off, she took a deep breath. Her soul gem stopped glowing, and she allowed her magical girl costume to vanish.

She sat down at the computer. Her face was drawn and pale. Where before she had boundless energy, she was now listless, and draggy. She rested for a moment, before narrowing her eyes and frowning.

With a few mouse clicks, she opened another program. She reviewed the recording of her antics with a critical eye.

There was a beeping sound, and she glanced at another screen. There had been 2,500 viewers of her live feed. Next, she would post a somewhat edited version to her vlog. From there, she relied on her fans to cross-post the video, with subtitles as necessary, to YouTube and other sites. She expected that her little performance would be seen by a million people by the end of the week.

Another screen began to blink. A messenger window popped up. There was an icon of a little white angel beside the text. She smiled.

"Elly," the message read, "Great show! Love you so so much! Please come to SanFran like you promised! Soon. Want to show you the scene and fight wraiths with you! Huggles n Kissies! Jennifer."

Elly started to type her answer, beside her own icon which was a silhouette of herself on a pedestal, surrounded by heart-shapes.

"Jennifer. It's a pinky-promise! Well, a virtual one, but it's real to me, and I don't wanna die! Actually granny says we can visit America this summer if I can keep my grades up. Love you, miss you! hugs, kisses, etc. etc. Elly."

* * *

Mami stood with her arms crossed in front of her, in a dim, flickering cone of light from a street-lamp. Homura stood beside her, glancing around at the thin but unmistakable wisps of miasma that were beginning to rise about them.

"Where is Miki-san?" Mami asked.

"I don't know, Tomoe-san," Homura replied with a sigh.

Mami frowned. The miasma was beginning to thicken. She raised her left hand, and let her soul gem form in her palm. It flickered warningly.

"Well, the Majuu won't wait after all," she said with a faint grin.

She transformed, and summoned a musket

"Let's go then!"

She ran forward. Homura, with a little cry of surprise, ran after her. She stumbled, nearly falling.

"Mami-san, wait for me!"

She sighed, gripping her golf club tighter, and with a deep breath, ran faster.

"Stay back, Akemi-san. They're thick tonight."

Homura stopped, and saw Mami standing on the top of a street-lamp, balancing on one foot. Miasma roiled out of the darkness between the lamps. There was a sizzling sound, and the streetlamp was extinguished.

"And powerful," Mami added.

Homura took a deep breath, and nodded. Mami grinned down at her, visible even for the dim light.

"But don't worry, Akemi Homura. This still won't take long."

She tore a ribbon off her collar, and tossed it at Homura. The dark-haired girl flinched back in surprise, and the ribbon enveloped her golf club. With an audible pop, it turned into a golden war-hammer.

"Here I go!"

Mami jumped off of the street-lamp. Homura started to follow her. A dozen yellow ribbons floated into her view. She watched with surprise as they grew into a wide, tall web, and then into a solid yellow wall.

Homura blinked.

"How am I supposed to watch you now?"

She felt a prickling feeling on the back of her neck. A cold gnawing in the pit of her stomach. She slowly turned to her left.

A tall, translucent, white thing loomed out of the dark and the miasma.

Homura's mouth went dry. Her heart thumped heavily in her chest. She took a step backward. Stumbled. Fell to the ground.

"Mami," she cried out, scrambling to her feet.

The demon spread four skeletal arms, each ending in wicked-sharp talons. It advanced on Homura. She glanced behind her quickly, to make sure of her footing, and backed away. She held her hammer in front of her, hoping it would be enough to shield her from the creature.

The Majuu raised one bony talon to it's forehead. It's hand began to glow white.

"Mami!" she cried out again.

The white glow stretched out into a jagged beam of light, which arced toward Homura. The girl screamed, certain of death.

And something fell down out of the sky. A metal shape. A sword? It interposed itself in the path of the beam. There was a sizzling pop, and the sword was evaporated. Homura was, for the moment, safe. She took another step back, just as a blue shape fell down from the sky on the same path as the sword.

A figure landed in front of her. It was a girl. A magical girl, Homura realized.

She wore a white cape that fluttered behind her, and a short blue skirt with white edging. Her legs were covered in loose white thigh-high leggings secured by leather straps near their top edge, and in blue leather boots with gold trim. In her white-gloved hands, she held a sword with a long straight single-edged blade, a gold oval cross-guard, a thin gold wire-mesh basket hilt, and two short blue tassels with small gold c shapes that adorned the end.

The magical girl charged forward with a cry. The Majuu swiped at her with two of it's arms. The girl ducked, her short blue hair tousled by the breeze of the near-miss.

She spun, and Homura gasped in surprise.

"Sayaka?"

It was her! Homura could see the rest of her outfit in the dim light. Her arms were covered in blue cloth, from under her gloves to her mid-forearms. Her upper chest was covered by a blue leather bustier, with gold and white lase trim at the top. Over the remainder of her abdomen hung white cloth, also with gold and lace trim. Her gold hairpins had changed too, becoming little f shapes.

As Sayaka moved, the flaps of cloth revealed her fit abdomen, and a blue crystal c shape encased in gold embedded into her belly just above her belly-button. This was glowing, and Homura knew it was her soul gem.

Using the momentum of the spin, Sayaka slashed the majuu with her sword from its hip (or what would be a hip on a human) to its upper mid right chest.

The demon paused, as though in surprise. It shuddered, and Homura wondered for a moment if Sayaka had actually hurt it. Then the top of the demon slid down along the diagonal slice. The monster's shape blurred, and with a flash of light it exploded into dozens of white shining remnants.

Sayaka straightened up, and turned to Homura, with a sheepish grin on her face. She rubbed the back of her head and chuckled.

"Sorry I'm late, transfer student, but I had something come up."

* * *

A breeze blew in through the open window. Three cherry petals wafted in, fluttering past Kyousuke's vision, and floated together to the floor.

Then he blinked. His hand. His hand, that hadn't had any feeling since that day.

It hurt!

Or rather, it was that pins-and-needles sensation, as blood and feeling start to flow back into a numb limb.

Kyousuke raised his hand in front of his face.

He clenched it into a fist, and then slowly opened it again, spreading his fingers wide.

* * *

"Congratulations," Mami said happily.

Her triangular glass-topped table held a fancy cake with white and blue icing. In front of Sayaka was a plate, a teacup, and her blue-and-gold soul gem. corruption was oozing out of it to infuse her first haul of grief cubes.

Sayaka laughed, and shrugged.

"I couldn't let my senpai hog all the glory, you know? And I would've hated it if anything had happened to the transfer student here."

Homura didn't say anything. Kyuubey sat in her lap, as though demanding attention.

"Well, I am happy to have you as my partner, Miki Sayaka. Akemi-san, you are welcome to continue to follow us on our nightly hunts, if you wish."

Homura didn't say anything, but she did nod.

"Ahh, cheer up! You'll think of a wish, I'm sure of it. Besides, you wanna see how Mami-san can make a purple cake look good, right?"

Mami giggled, and Sayaka wrapped an arm over Homura's shoulder. The purple-eyed girl yelped as she was pulled off-balance.

"It would be wonderful to have two partners. There haven't been three allied magical girls in this territory since I first made my wish, you know. Still, you should carefully consider your wish, Akemi-san, and not form a contract just because Miki-san has done so."

Homura again nodded, but still said nothing.

* * *

Sayaka and Homura walked to school together the next day. They came up to Hitomi.

"Hey, Hitomi! Good morning!"

Hitomi stopped, and turned to them. She didn't look pleased.

"You didn't show up yesterday."

"Huh? Oh, at the cafe? Well, I had to go to the music store ..."

"Which you usually do after eating. Unless I am much mistaken, however, I believe that I saw you and Akemi-san leave school together."

Homura and Sayaka glanced at each other.

"Yes," Homura said, "we did. And, well, Miki-san did ask me to go with her to the music store ..."

"I'm terribly happy that you two have become such ... close friends."

Hitomi closed her eyes, crossed her arms in front of her chest, and desperately tried to keep her expression neutral. She failed to do so.

"What's with that," Sayaka asked.

Hitomi gave Sayaka a sour glance.

"Well, you could always remember your childhood friend, Sayaka-san. Include me in your nightly escapades, perhaps? Or are you and Akemi-san too good for me now?"

"Escapades?!" Sayaka blurted out.

"Shizuki-san, you are welcome to join us of course. I just thought that with your lessons you wouldn't have time," Homura said diplomatically.

Hitomi turned a glare to her.

"A likely story. You're just using that as an excuse."

"Good grief, Hitomi, you're talking crazy! Look, transfer student and me are just studying together with the help of a senior. You remember Mami-senpai from 3-A? The girl we met at the cafe that one time."

Hitomi turned away from them, closing her eyes again.

"I know of her reputation. There are worse seniors to be spending time with, I suppose. Still, I am officially jealous."

* * *

"That's amazing, Kyousuke!"

The silver-haired boy shrugged, the ghost of a smile on his lips.

"My doctor doesn't understand it. It's impossible, really. I've had nothing but tests on my hand all day, but they haven't learned anything. My hand is just ... better."

Sayaka grinned.

"Remember what I said about miracles?"

"Well, this seems to be one," Kyousuke said.

Sayaka glanced at her watch.

"Say, don't you think it'd be a good idea to get some fresh air?"

"I ... don't see what that has to do with anything."

"Come on!"

"Well, I'll have to have you push me there. My legs are unchanged."

Sayaka blinked in surprise, and managed to avoid blurting out the self-deprecating curse that instantly popped into her head.

She managed to get past this, and helped him into a wheelchair. A nurse watched them pass with a grin. Sayaka winked in her direction, and managed to suppress a giggle.

They stood in the elevator, silently looking out over the skyline of the city. The setting sun, just behind the tall buildings to their right, gave every building, and the river, and the distant ocean, a warm orange hue.

"So why the roof?"

He looked back over his shoulder. Sayaka, resting her hands on the handles of his wheelchair, grinned.

"Ahh, just because, you know?"

Sayaka wheeled the chair out. A breeze blew. There was a shower of flower petals, pink and red and yellow. The fragrance of the flowers, the glow of the sun, and a sense of peace and distance from the troubles, from the accident. This is what Kyousuke noticed first.

Then he saw the group of people standing together.

He gasped in surprise.

"Everyone!"

His father. His mother. The doctor, nurses, his physical therapist. They clapped.

Then Kyousuke saw that his father had something with him. A dark black case.

"Is that?"

His father smiled, and walked over to where Kyousuke sat.

"You told me to get rid of it. I just couldn't. It meant so much to you, and I could never give up hope, no matter what anyone said."

He opened the case, to reveal the red-brown curves, black neck, light tan strings, of a violin.

"Please," his father said quietly.

Kyousuke nodded, and reached out. Tenderly. Delicately, he picked up the instrument, and the bow.

His father stepped back. Sayaka joined the group. She smiled.

Kyousuke settled the violin under his chin. Set his left hand on the neck. Set the bow to the strings. With a subtle motion, he drew the bow across the strings.

A fragile, delicate note rang out across the roof.

The violin was in perfect tune. Kyousuke hadn't forgotten. His fingers glided effortlessly across the fingerboard.

_Ave Maria._

A tear rolled down Kyousuke's cheek.

"My wish came true," Sayaka whispered to herself. "It really did. This is the happiest moment of my life."

* * *

"Gee, you sure are lucky, transfer student."

Sayaka was grinning, and both Homura and Mami turned a curious glance in her direction.

"Not only do you have the cool, talented senior Mami-senpai to learn from, but the pretty, young, up-and-coming rising Champion of Justice, Miki Sayaka too!"

Mami shook her head, and Sayaka giggled.

Homura sighed.

"I'm in your care then, I suppose," she managed to say.

"Yup. And wow, is this what you two meant before? It's so obvious! I don't know how I missed all this miasma stuff before."

Kyuubey sat on Homura's shoulder.

_You know, Miki Sayaka, very few humans ever sense the miasma at all. Normally it simply leads to feelings of despair or hate and anger. You should consider yourself fortunate to have ever noticed it__before contracting._

"Tch. Anyway, let's go beat up on some demons!"

"Miki-san, we can't just ..."

"Here I go!"

She charged off, blindly, into the miasma.

Mami sighed.

"We had better follow her, I suppose."

* * *

Sayaka slashed at the demon towering over her, and ducked as another swung a long, skeletal limb at her. She stabbed out with a cry, impaling it and causing it to dissolve into a pile of glowing cubes that slowly turned dark grey.

She turned to charge another cluster of demons. Before she could attack, a red and silver arrowhead, or spear-point, flashed out of nowhere, slashing through two of the three. She turned in surprise, to see a redheaded girl. She wore a red sleeveless dress or tunic with white frills along the lower edge. The front split in two just below her breasts, and underneath was a black shirt and short pink skirt. She wore black stockings and red boots with white cuffs. Her arms were covered by white detached sleeves with black cuffs, and her shoulders were bare. A red oval crystal sat embedded in her upper chest, as revealed by a cut-out window that was lined with silver and with the high collar, formed a curious spearhead-pattern.

"Who the hell are you?!" Sayaka snapped.

"You're welcome," the girl replied in a harsh, somewhat old-fashioned, accent.

"I had things under control! Besides, you shouldn't be here."

"Says who?"

"What d'you mean, _says who_? Haven't you heard of the agreement?"

"Oh, this is rich! You lecturing me, rookie?"

Sayaka frowned, and raised her swords.

"Who are you calling _rookie_, huh?"

The girl sighed, and shook her head.

"You are so green it ain't even funny."

"Come over here and say that, so I can wipe that smirk of your ugly face!"

The redhead chuckled.

"Hotheaded, impulsive, and incompetent. What a moron."

"Ok, that does it! I'm gonna teach you some manners!"

"Feel free to try," the girl said, her grin widening.

Sayaka charged. The girl effortlessly stepped aside, sweeping the blunt end of her spear and catching Sayaka's shins. She twisted and lifted viciously, sending Sayaka sprawling to the pavement.

"Lesson one: Obvious attacks are stupid."

Sayaka pulled herself to her feet, gripping her swords.

"You got lucky."

"You're some piece of work, blue. Ok, let's do it then."

Sayaka didn't respond. Not in words anyway. She started a charge, like the last time, but instead of following her apparent movement, she twisted and swung her swords in the opposite direction.

The blunt end of the spear was there. A downward motion caused Sayaka's blades to be turned harmlessly. The business end of the spear, in contrast, came dangerously close to Sayaka's shoulder.

She ducked, and the spearhead whistled overhead.

Sayaka lunged forward. Her swords missed the redhead by millimeters as she twisted out of the way. The motion brought the blunt end of the spear crashing into Sayaka's side. The bluenette sprawled to the street, grimacing in pain.

"Lesson two: Momentum's a bitch."

"Shut up," Sayaka spat, bringing herself to her feet again.

"It's two zip so far, blue. You wanna continue, or quit while you're behind?"

Sayaka charged, yet again. The redhead found herself blocking a flurry of sword-blows. It probably would have looked impressive to a third party, but the truth is that Sayaka was just wildly slashing in anger, accomplishing nothing so much as to drain her energy. The redhead was effortlessly countering every single stroke.

"You done yet," the redhead asked in a bored tone.

"Just shut up! I'll show you ..."

"Miki Sayaka, stop it!"

Sayaka backed up, breathing heavily. Her swords were still raised, and she kept her eyes on the redhead.

Mami and Homura trotted over to where the two stood.

"Hey there, Mami. Long time no see."

Sayaka turned in surprise.

"Huh? You ... you know her, Mami-san?"

Mami chuckled.

"Sakura Kyouko. Still finding trouble everywhere you go, I see."

"Hey, this moron attacked me."

"You provoked me!"

Kyouko shrugged.

"Kyouko, this is my new protege, Miki Sayaka. This is Akemi Homura, another potential."

"I see. Well, if there's anyone that can turn a self-righteous, bumbling dumbass into a proper magical girl, it's you Mami."

"What's that supposed to mean," Sayaka snapped angrily.

Kyouko glanced at Sayaka with a neutral expression.

"Relax Sayaka, you'll live longer that way. Nice to meet you as well. Akemi Homura, was it?"

The dark-haired girl blushed lightly, and nodded.

"Don't let Mami's tea and cakes fool you. She's a dictatorial tyrant and a hard-ass who won't ever give you a moment of peace once you contract."

Mami blushed, and glanced awkwardly at Homura.

Kyouko grinned, then laughed.

"Just kidding. She's the best, really she is."

The redhead pulled a red box out of apparently nowhere, and shoved it in Homura's general direction. Homura gave it a dubious glance, and held up a hand, shaking her head. Kyouko shrugged, and slid a stick of Pockey out for herself.

"Well, won't you come to my apartment?"

"Yeah, but we gotta stop by the hotel first."

"Oh, did you bring Momo-chan with you?" Mami asked with a brilliant smile.

Kyouko shook her head.

"Naah, I got me a little apprentice now too."

"Why wasn't she with you?"

"I was just out shopping. Didn't really mean to fight or anything. I _do_ know about the agreement, after all."

"Oh Kyouko, you know that doesn't stop _you_ from hunting demons here."

"Yeah, I know. Still, I wanted to let you know I was in town first."

Mami smiled.

"It's good to see you again, Kyouko."

Kyouko smiled too, a genuine expression.

"Good to see you too."

* * *

Note: Alexander Pope, Essay on Man, Epistle 1.3, v.95-98


	4. Chapter 4

_Chapter 4_

"I'm leaving now," Elly shouted.

Her grandmother poked her head out of the kitchen.

"Have a good evening, dear. Remember to be back before midnight."

She turned, and leaned back in the door with a grin.

"Aww granny, you know the best wraiths show up then. It's why the call it the Witching Hour!"

Her grandmother shook her head and chuckled.

"You take your magical girl act too seriously, dear."

Elly giggled, and waved as she closed the door.

She walked some distance from her house, and ducked into an alley. When she was certain no one was watching, she transformed. Without the fanfare that she used in her on-line performances, of course.

She took a deep breath, and jumped up to the roof of a neighboring building.

"Hate this part," she whispered to herself, with a frown.

Still, to keep going as Puella Magi Elly, internet idol, she also had to be magical girl Elly, wraith hunter.

The miasma was thick. Demonic shapes loomed up in the unnatural mist. Elly could see, far in the distance, Tomoe Mami battling them, a dark-haired young (non-magical) girl watching her with wide eyes.

"Never change, Mami-san," Elly chuckled.

Not far from them, she saw Sakura Kyouko squaring off against some blue magical girl that she didn't recognize.

On the other side of town, she saw nothing. There were wraiths, but the absence of Kure Kirika was conspicuous. Curious. Perhaps even worrying.

She sighed, and turned back to see Kyouko and the blue girl sparring with one another. She considered listening in on their conversation, which she could do from almost any distance, but decided that she didn't have time for that.

Instead, she bounded across several roof-tops, to a narrow strip of land between two branches of the river. The miasma rose in slowly twisting coils, and two massive wraith-shapes lurked by the suspension bridge. It was the scene of frequent traffic accidents, including one about three years ago that had torn a certain wealthy business-man and his wife nearly in half. Their young daughter, dying in what remained of the rear of the car, survived only by the merest chance; the well-timed arrival of a certain Incubator.

Elly forced that story out of her head. She had to focus on the wraiths themselves. That was why she was here.

She landed on the very top of the bridge's central tower, delicately on the toes of her left foot. She could sense vaguely the presence of another magical girl nearby, and a grin crossed her face. Time to impress!

With exaggerated motions, she summoned massive panes of glass, one in between the two wraiths, and two more, to either side. The monsters turned their focus to her, and as she intended, moved in her direction, following the separate channels made by the three magical planes.

She crouched down to gain energy, then leapt up powerfully, over the tops of the two demons, landing behind them, and on the other side of her three glass walls. The demons turned, as she knew they would, and she summoned a fourth pane of glass behind them, preventing them from menacing anyone on the bridge.

"Slowpokes," Elly muttered with a chuckle.

As the beasts lumbered toward her, a fourth pane of glass slid up, preventing the first demon from moving further. It reached out a bony taloned hand, and began to pound on the glass.

The second gestured with three limbs, sending a series of energy bolts searing toward Elly.

She summoned small cubes of glass, and tossed them toward the demon. Each cube directed itself into the path of an energy blast, exploding harmlessly.

The demon's pace increased, slightly surprising Elly. She took a deep breath, and jumped straight up, over the demon's head. The creature, directly beneath her, looked up. Elly summoned three more panes of glass, beneath her feet. The glass and magical girl crashed down onto the top of the demon. Two of the panes of glass shattered, but the wraith was crushed into component remnants beneath the weight.

The remaining glass pane folded into a neat cube-shape, holding the cooling remnants. Elly picked up the filled cube.

"One more to go," she said aloud, partly to the nearby magical girl, but mostly to herself.

Elly's glass walls were showing cracks, as the demon was lashing out with increasing ferocity with two deceptively thin arms. With a simple hand gesture, Elly generated a massive glass cube, encompassing the demon and the nearly-broken walls around it.

Then, she pointed her left index finger. Inside her glass cube, the walls fragmented into hundreds of shards of glass, which flew at high speed into the Majuu's body. The creature recoiled. Elly clenched her hand into a fist. The cube imploded with a loud crunch, and pieces of glass and remnants fell to the ground.

She jumped over to the pile of grief cubes, and collected them.

She heard footsteps.

She forced a smile onto her face despite her exhaustion, and spun with a flourish.

"Puella Magi Elly is once more victorious!" she announced in her internet persona voice.

She recoiled in pain and shock as four glowing claws of metal-energy tore through her abdomen.

Without time to think, she hastily summoned a glass wall, turned, and scampered away into nearby underbrush.

"Oh little miss showoff," a playful voice called.

Elly winced, and looked down at herself. The front of her dress was torn to ribbons, and blood poured from deep, nasty wounds. She numbed the pain with her magic, and glanced around.

She gasped as she heard the sound of glass shattering. She had hoped the wall would buy her more time. No such luck.

She launched herself up and away, leaving behind a series of walls and cubes to hopefully distract and slow down her attacker.

She landed on a roof-top on the opposite shore of the river, and fell hard onto the gravel surface.

She groaned. The pain-dulling magic was making her sluggish, but the pain itself wouldn't have been much better. She forced herself up to her knees, and looked around.

The glass barriers she had left behind were still stood intact on the island. Mami and her young dark-haired friend were out of sight, as were Kyouko and the blue magical girl.

She heard the far-distant sound of Mami's gentle voice, and Kyouko's brash tones. She heard the name Miki Sayaka, and filed it away in her head. Hoping to survive long enough to make use of this information, somehow.

"I see you," came the teasing, sing-song, sadistic voice of her attacker.

Elly gasped, and forced herself to stand.

A black-clothed magical girl landed on the edge of the roof. Large glowing metallic claws stretched out of the voluminous sleeves of her coat.

"Kure Kirika-san," Elly said quietly.

"Oha, bitch," Kirika said with a wolfish smirk.

"Why? I don't hurt Mikune Oriko-sama, do I? I take so little. Please ... please, let me go."

"Well, you're right. Your flashy little ass isn't any real pain to us."

"Then why?"

"Just business dear, that's all. Hey, for what it's worth, I love your show, and I _really_ hate to do this."

Elly summoned dozens of glass shards, which launched themselves toward Kirika. Rather than waiting to see the result of this attack, she turned, and jumped away for another rooftop.

She felt intense pain, as she flew between the two buildings. Eight claws thrust into her back, tearing mercilessly through her body. She slammed into the side of the building, falling down into the alley. She saw Kirika, her claws dripping with blood, perched on the edge.

Elly landed, face-first, hard on the concrete. Before she could do anything, Kirika came down onto her back. She felt something snap, and suppressed a scream.

Somehow, Elly found the strength to lash at Kirika with her elbow, and managed to land a hit sufficient to stagger her back a pace.

Elly pulled herself up to her feet, and white-hot agony coursed through her body. Something very important was broken inside of her.

Elly leaned against the wall, limp, barely able to withstand the agony even with her magic

"Nice try, but not nice enough. Ironic. You're gonna die here, alone in an alley, and no one will ever know what happened to you. Doesn't that suck, miss 'Look at me, look at me!' "

Elly's eyes went wide. Kirika was right. She was weak from using so much magic. Her body was broken and in tatters, and she had lost what would be a fatal amount of blood for a normal human. She might be able to summon the strength to get in another blow, if she was lucky. And then, no one would ever hear from her again. Not even ...

"Jennifer," Elly whimpered. Her heart-shaped soul gem was turning an ugly purplish black.

Kirika giggled.

"Sorry, your American slut ain't gonna save ya."

Elly's eyes went wide. In mortal terror, it seemed to Kirika. But then, Elly's expression softened. She smiled. Her soul gem started to glow. The corruption was vanishing. Somehow.

Kirika snarled, and raised her claws, to strike the killing blow.

And just stood there.

Elly's soul gem gleamed a bright blue. Kirika, paralyzed, squinted against the light.

Then the soul gem disappeared.

Elly sighed. Her eyes closed, and she slumped lifeless to the ground. Her body vanished.

"Dammit!" Kirika shouted. "I _hate_ it when that happens."

* * *

The night turned out to be clear and warm for early spring. The breeze still held a touch of chill, but not enough to make the girls desire to rush home. Kyouko, in a green hoodie, cutoff jean-shorts, and knee-high boots, strolled along the streets with a casual air, hands in her pockets, and a stick of Pockey hanging from her lips.

"So, how have things been," Mami asked.

Kyouko snickered.

"Nah, we wait til we get to your home first, Mami. The rookie and the maybe here need to be brought up to speed, ya know?"

Mami grinned.

"So when are we going to get to the dump you're crashing at," Sayaka asked.

"Dump, huh? Shows what you know."

She led them into downtown Mitakihara, past the club district with its late-night crowd of fancy partiers, and to a large, 15-story stone building built in a heavy, imposingly gothic style, topped by four towers topped by copper onion-shaped domes. The building seemed out of place in modern Japan.

"Wow," Sayaka said.

"The Shining River Hotel," Mami said with a smile.

"You're staying here?" Homura asked in surprise.

"Yup."

With a huge, wolfish grin, she led them up to the front door. A man stood there in a light grey frock coat with large brass buttons, grey striped pants, white gloves, black patent-leather shoes, and a round grey cap. He nodded at Kyouko, and dutifully opened the door for her. Homura noticed that as they passed, he gave the group an odd stare.

The lobby had red diamond-patterned carpet. The walls were white plaster, with gilded art deco embellishments. Along either wall, archways opened up to side rooms ... the lounge, the dining-room, and so on. The sides of the portals were molded to appear as Greek columns. Above each archway was a fresco in the style of classic Japanese painting, depicting various scenes in the myth, legend, and history of the Mitakihara river valley area.

Homura's eyes were briefly drawn to the depiction of a samurai wielding a bow, in full armor and yet clearly depicted as female. She stood her ground before the onslaught of hundreds of enemies, as her defeated and injured comrades made their escape.

"Pretty cool, huh?"

Homura looked back down, to see Kyouko smirking at her reaction.

"Umm. It kinda is," Homura had to admit.

"Like you had anything to do with it," Sayaka said.

Kyouko glanced at her with a frown, but chose not to respond.

At the end of the hallway was the reception desk, flanked on either side by wide staircases leading up to what was presumably the elevator lobby. A girl, who looked to be no older than high-school age, sat behind the desk, smiling pleasantly.

"Yo, Suzu. Any messages for me today?"

The girl grinned.

"None. Sorry, Sakura-san."

"Ahh, it's cool. Thanks, sweetie."

The girl chuckled, and shook her head.

Kyouko turned back to the others, and Mami giggled.

"Still think you're a charmer, I see?"

"Think?" Kyouko never lost her grin.

The girl behind the desk cast a quick glance up at Mami, but said nothing.

"So your father still hasn't got you a cell phone?" Mami asked.

"Nah, he doesn't believe in 'em."

"But he has no problem with his daughter staying alone in a nice hotel like this, on his dime I suppose?"

Kyouko cast a glare at Sayaka.

"Anyway, I'm gonna go collect the kid."

"Mind if I come with you?" Mami asked.

"I'd like it if you did."

Sayaka glanced at Homura.

"We'll wait out here."

"You weren't invited, rookie. Homura, you can come along if ya want."

Sayaka frowned, and looked at Homura in a somewhat threatening way.

"Oh. No, that's ok."

"Suit yourself. Be back in a flash."

Mami and Kyouko walked up the staircase, and the girl behind the desk smiled politely at Homura and Sayaka. Homura awkwardly returned the expression.

"Umm. Excuse us. We will be in the sitting-room over there, when our friends come back," Sayaka said.

"Okay," the girl said with a nod.

Sayaka grabbed Homura's forearm, and dragged her off. Homura yelped in surprise.

"Miki-san!"

"I gotta talk to you, transfer student."

"Huh? What about?"

"D'you trust this new gal? Kyouko, or whatever she's called."

"Well, it seems that Mami-san does know her after all."

"Yeah, but I'm not so sure. I mean, she abandoned Mami-san here, right?"

"Well, I guess it seems that way. We just don't know the whole story."

"I just don't know. There's something fishy about her. I think she's working with Oriko."

"What?"

"I mean, wouldn't it make sense? Get your claws on someone that Mami-san thinks is a friend, but who actually abandoned her here? Get her to relax a little too much?"

"Miki-san, you are over-thinking this."

"And I wonder what the story is with this 'apprentice' anyway. Probably some floozie."

"What?"

"You saw her with that front-desk girl. Kyouko's totally that way."

"What way?"

"So y'all ready?"

It was Kyouko's voice, from behind them.

"Ahhh! We .. didn't hear you and the others coming."

Sayaka, blushing a deep red, turned, laughing and rubbing the back of her head. Her laugh died as her eyes widened in surprise. Between Kyouko and Mami stood a green-haired child, maybe eight or nine years old.

She wore a long-sleeved light green dress with a white collar and white cuffs at her wrists. Green plastic buttons ran down the front from the collar to her waist, around which was secured a wide yellow belt. The dress reached below her knees. She also wore yellow socks and brown school-issue loafers. Her green hair was pulled into two short, high tails, secured by hair ties decorated with large yellow fuzzy puffballs. Her otherwise unkempt bangs hung low over her forehead.

"Chitose Yuma, meet Akemi Homura. And Miki Sayaka."

"_This_ is your apprentice?" Sayaka asked in shock.

Yuma shifted awkwardly.

"Yeah. Long story. Listen, Mami and me have a bunch to catch up on anyway, so why don't you two tag along and hear the whole sordid mess for yourselves. So you can see what a big steaming pile you stepped in, blue."

Kyouko smirked, and Mami shook her head.

"It isn't that bad, Miki-san. However, if it is fine with Kyouko and Chitose-chan, then you're welcome to come as well."

"Yuma," the girl said.

Everyone looked down at her.

"Just Yuma. Don't use my family name. Okay?"

"Of course, Yuma-chan," Mami replied with a smile.

* * *

On the way to Mami's apartment, they walked in three groups. In the lead, Mami and Kyouko chatted and laughed happily, Kyouko draping her arm over Mami's shoulder carelessly.

Behind them, Yuma walked alongside Homura. The young greenette had slipped her hand into Homura's, and the older girl's cheeks were pink.

"You aren't a magical girl," Yuma said to Homura.

"No."

"It isn't really very fun."

Homura smiled, and glanced down at the younger girl.

"Did you think it would be?"

"No. Just, better than the other option."

"Other option?"

Yuma looked uncertain for a moment. Then, with her free hand, she brushed her bangs aside. Her forehead had numerous scars and burn marks. Homura gasped in shock.

"My mom used to burn me with her cigarettes. She's dead now. A demon ate her. Kyouko onee-chan saved my life, so I used my wish to save hers."

"Should you be telling me this?"

"It's okay, Homura onee-chan. Just, don't tell the others. Okay?"

Homura nodded seriously.

"I promise."

Sayaka sulked in the rear.

* * *

When they reached Mami's apartment, Kyouko dashed inside, almost forgetting to pull off her boots.

"Wow, love what you've done with it! Hey, this is new! Is it still like that up here?"

Kyouko darted up the stairs. She cried out in delight, her voice echoing down the staircase.

"Hah. Yup, the big ol' bed is just the way I remember it!"

Mami blushed, and Sayaka gave Homura a meaningful glance.

* * *

Kyouko had finally settled down from running around Mami's apartment (and embarrassing the hell out of her) and was sitting cross-legged at the triangular table. Yuma sat beside her. Homura and Sayaka sat together on another of the table's three sides. Kyuubey sat on the third edge, scooting to a corner when Mami arrived with cake and tea.

"Just like old times," Kyouko said wistfully.

"I'll make that peach pie you love so much tomorrow, Kyouko. If I had known, I'd have made it tonight."

Kyouko's eyes lit up.

"You make the most awesome pies, Mami! Oh, and cakes too."

"Thank you. Although, I don't hold a candle to your mother's fried shrimp."

Mami and Kyouko shared a giggle.

"Momo-chan loves fried shrimp. She always shares it with me, though."

Mami smiled at Yuma.

"So you know Momo-chan?"

Kyouko nodded.

"Long story, like I said, but it was sis that gave me the hint that little Yuma-chan here might be in trouble."

"I see."

"Well, but that's getting ahead of things. The newbies here should hear the story."

"About how you were chasing the Minotaur Majuu and needed my help to destroy it?"

"Wait," Sayaka said, "Minotaur?"

"Some Majuu have different shapes. Like this one had twisty horns coming outta it's head, and like hooves for hands. So we called it the Minotaur," Kyouko explained, using her index fingers to imitate the horns.

Mami nodded.

"They are very rare, and usually quite powerful."

"Yeah, but really the story behind all that is even more important, especially for Homura here."

Homura tilted her head.

"Why me?"

Yuma looked up at Homura.

"Remember what I said? It isn't very fun being a magical girl."

Kyouko nodded.

"It really kinda sucks."

"But things turned out well for you. For us," Mami stated.

Kyouko nodded.

"So anyway, this is the story. My dad ..."

"Kyouko, are you _sure_ you want to tell them this?"

"Why not? It's my story so if I want to tell it to 'em, I can. No rules against it, right?"

Kyouko glanced at Kyuubey.

_Of course not. There are no rules regarding a magical girl revealing her wish, should she desire to do so. I am unable to reveal the wishes of a magical girl to anyone else, but that is a different matter entirely._

"Right. Anyway, my dad was a minister at the prefecture church of ..."

"Wait, your dad was a preacher?"

"Yeah."

"And you turned out like _this_?"

Kyouko glared at Sayaka.

"Miki-san," Homura said quietly.

"Yeah. Can it, blue. Any. Way. He got some ideas that didn't quite mesh with the home church. So he got expelled. That means he was fired, Sayaka."

"Yeah, kinda got that, thanks."

"So no job. He relied on the charity of his followers. And that dwindled, as they left his flock. So there I was watching my little sis starve, when Kyuubey shows up. What d'you think happened."

"You made a wish," Homura said simply.

"Wished for the people to actually start listening to what dad had to say."

"So you basically brainwashed everyone?"

"Ya know, Sayaka, you're really starting to piss me off here! I did no such thing, I just wished for people to listen to him. Really hear and understand what he was saying. Nothing to do with 'blindly follow.' I mean, plenty of people disagreed. They just _understood_ what he was saying, and _why_ they disagreed, rather than just saying 'that's not how we've always done it.' Ya know?"

"Miki-san only recently made her wish, Kyouko, so she lacks perspective."

Sayaka blushed, and looked down at her piece of cake.

"Yeah, I could tell that the second I met her. Anyway, the wish worked. His small cadre of followers became a hard-core group, and together they reached out to the lapsed members of the old church. They got fired up too, and together raised the money to buy up the old church building. See, the home church didn't replace my dad with anyone, so it was just kinda empty. We kinda jokingly called it Sakura Cathedral."

"So that's why. I'd heard about that, but I thought it had something to do with cherry trees," Sayaka mused.

"Wrong spelling, blue. In any case, that was a good time. My dad was saving souls, and I was fighting demons. Really doing God's work, you know? Then, the demons decided to target our church. Naturally I couldn't let that stand. And also naturally, my dad saw me."

"Yikes," Homura said.

"Yeah, yikes. He read me the riot act, calling me a witch. Of all things! Here I am, fighting demons, risking my life to save our church even, and he says _I'm_ a witch! I explained it all to him, in detail. He started drinking. It was all a lie, he said. All from the devil. He got worse and worse, and started hurting mom. And _that_ is why I stopped coming here to Mitakihara Town. I didn't abandon Mami, Sayaka."

Sayaka blushed, and shrugged.

"Mami though, she decided to stage an intervention. She went to Kazamino City, where my family live. In magical gear, because she didn't know if I was in real trouble."

"Wait," Sayaka said, looking at Mami, "she went there transformed?"

"Yeah, but that wasn't the kicker to this little screw-up."

"Oh no," Mami muttered with a giggle.

"Oh yeah. You were there, so you know what happened."

"What did Mami-san do?" Sayaka grinned.

"Not Mami. Nah, it was her other student. See, before Mami got me on the right track to being a magical girl, she had another girl she trained, from Asunaro City. Kazusa Michiru. God bless her, for real, because she was the one that said I was probably in trouble."

"She was in town, and wanted to meet you," Mami explained.

"Yeah. So together they come to my home. And we're in the church, my dad and me, so that is where they go. Kazumi, as she goes by, was in her full magical girl costume. Or rather, what there is of it. It's all like black ribbon-strappey things over her breasts, and some kinda petal-skirt that's barely there, black boots and gloves, and a black cape. And a metal staff with a cross-shape on top. And a big old witch-hat to top it all off!"

Kyouko accompanied the description with gestures. Sayaka's eyes went wide.

"Oh no!"

Mami was laughing.

"My dad practically had a stroke on the spot. I kinda went numb at that point, so don't know exactly what was said. Somehow Kazumi managed to not just talk my dad down, but I guess basically throw the chunkiest parts of the Bible in his face. 'What would Jesus do?' Only, not in such a trite way, ya know?"

Mami laughed. Sayaka and Homura found themselves joining her. Kyouko had a huge grin on her face. Yuma, looking slightly uncomfortable, studiously munched on her cake.

Mami dried her eyes, and shook her head.

"Anyway. So Kyouko, how are things with you now?"

"Good. Dad's gotten better. I mean, he still drinks sometimes, but not as bad. He hasn't hurt mom since that time. And, he's in talks with the head of the main church. I don't think they're gonna let him back in or anything, but I kinda suspect they'll forgive him and formally retire him. That way, you know, he gets a pension from the church, and isn't just an expelled, disgraced, ex-minister leading a rogue congregation. Things have changed and ... well, there's still my wish after all."

"And Momo-chan?"

Kyouko grinned.

"She's cute as ever. Even cuter, now that she has the 'coolest older sis in the world!' as she puts it."

Sayaka looked up in surprise.

"Wait, she knows about you?"

"Yup. Told her, and mom too."

"You can do that?" Sayaka asked, looking at Kyuubey.

_There's no rule to prevent it. Even if there were, it would be impossible to enforce in an efficient manner. We have no desire to encourage conflicts between magical girls, after all, and such would be the only way that we could ever hope to do such a thing._

"I wouldn't recommend it, though. Kyouko's family is an unusual case, mostly since her wish so directly affected them."

Sayaka narrowed her eyes and pursed her lips. Her mind began to wander, and she zoned out of the rest of the evening's conversation.

* * *

Sayaka and Homura met up at a crosswalk just on the other side of the bridge across the river. The sun was shining, and a cool breeze blew. Cherry petals fluttered past.

They talked about the day's homework, purposefully avoiding any mention of last night's events. As they entered the park, they saw a green-haired classmate of theirs standing by a bench. She smiled in their direction, and Sayaka waved.

"Good morning, Hitomi!"

"Ahh, Sayaka-san. Homura-san."

Homura flushed slightly, but smiled.

"Shizuki-san. Good morning."

"You girls look happy."

Sayaka giggled, and placed her arms over Homura's and Hitomi's shoulders.

"It's a lovely day, Hitomi. A perfect day to walk to school with my friends."

Hitomi blushed lightly.

"Well, thank you, Sayaka-san. Homura-san, how are you today?"

"Ummm. Fine. I suppose."

"I see. Well, I hope you're ready for today's math test."

"Oh, yes. Umm, Miki-san lent me her notes ..."

"My notes, you mean?"

Hitomi grinned, and Sayaka blushed.

"Well, yeah, Hitomi. I mean, you never said I couldn't share them, right?"

Hitomi laughed.

"It's fine, really. I only hope that they will improve your grade over your last test."

Sayaka shifted awkwardly.

"That wasn't my fault though! Those problems were different from what he had us do in class!"

"But they were based on the same principles, Sayaka-san."

Homura giggled softly, and Sayaka cast a disparaging glance in her direction.

"And what's so funny, miss froze-at-the-whiteboard?"

"Sayaka-san."

"I mean it, Hitomi. Geez, I was embarrassed for you, transfer student!"

Homura shrugged, and looked away.

"Yeah," Sayaka continued, "So we have an edge this time, I think."

"Miki Sayaka, you aren't thinking of cheating, are you?"

"Me?"

Sayaka smirked, and held her chin. It was clear from her expression that is exactly what she had in mind.

Homura didn't say anything.

"Well, we will ... Oh my." Hitomi froze in her tracks, and her eyes went wide.

"Hitomi?" Sayaka said.

"What is wrong, Shizuki-san?"

Sayaka waved a hand in front of Hitomi's face, and she flinched backward.

"Lost ya there for a second. You okay?"

"I am ... I'm fine, Sayaka-san. Shall we hurry on?"

"Huh? Seriously, Hitomi, what is ... oh."

Now it was Sayaka who froze in place. Her eyes got wide as saucers, and her cheeks turned bright red.

"You too, Miki-san?" Homura asked with a sigh.

Ahead of them, Homura saw a boy about their age. He had silvery-grey hair, and wore the male uniform, white with black trim, of their school. He hobbled along in a slow, awkward pace, leaning heavily on a pair of crutches.

"He's back," Sayaka whispered.

* * *

At break, Kyouske was surrounded by a cloud of boys, grilling him on every last detail of his ordeal. Nakazawa burst out laughing at some particular description, and clapped Kyouske on the back.

Hitomi and Homura stood on either side of Sayaka's desk. The bluenette was moping, staring at him.

"He never told me he was being released," She muttered.

"Well, Sayaka-san, there was probably so much going on."

Homura nodded.

"It's true, Miki-san. When you get released from the hospital there is so much to do. Paperwork to sign, last minute tests to take, meetings with the doctors, and in his case physical therapists, prescriptions ..."

"See," Hitomi said.

* * *

"What should I do?"

"Hmm?"

Sayaka had a worried expression, and was walking with uncharacteristic heaviness.

"Kyousuke's out of the hospital, transfer student. Because of me."

"Miki-san?"

Sayaka sighed.

"I guess you might as well know the story. He was in an accident. A very bad one. His legs and his hand were basically crippled. You can see, he has trouble walking. But it was his hand that hurt the most. He was a violinist, you see."

"Oh. He's _that_ Kamijou Kyousuke? For some reason, I thought he would be older."

Sayaka chuckled bitterly.

"So you've heard of him?"

"Well, a little at least. As I said before, I'm really not much into music."

Sayaka nodded.

"So what should I do? Tell him?"

"That you made a wish, gave up your soul, and became a magical girl so he could play the violin again?"

Sayaka grinned.

"That sounds absurd."

"Doesn't it," Homura asked.

"But there is more."

"Ahh. You like him?"

Sayaka blushed.

"So you should tell him that at least."

"Really?"

Homura shrugged.

"I guess. I've never really been in such a situation, after all."

"Really? Wow, I would've thought sure some boy would've caught your eye by now, transfer student."

Homura blushed.

"Not really," she said quietly.

Sayaka glanced at Homura, and considered pressing the issue further.

"Well, we're here at Mami-san's. I suppose I could ask her for advice."

When they arrived, Kyouko and Yuma were already there, and both looked quite impatient to get going. Mami spared only a cursory greeting for them, before ushering the group out into the night.

They hadn't gone very far, before the miasma erupted from the ground in thick smoke-like tendrils that coiled menacingly around the girls.

"Thick tonight," Sayaka observed.

"Better get ready," Mami said.

Kyouko, Mami, and Sayaka all transformed into their by now familiar outfits. Yuma clenched her fists, hopping into the air with a little twirl. Homura suppressed a giggle.

A green light enveloped the girl, and with a pop! she landed on the ground in her costume.

Yuma wore a sleeveless green dress with a white front, white frilly ribbon ornamented with a big yellow bell at the collar, green detached sleeves and oversized white mittens, green mary-janes, oversized white socks, and puffy white bloomers. The socks, mittens, and bloomers were decorated with wide green ribbons. On her head was a white cap with cat ears, through which her messy pony-tails stuck.

With both hands she clutched a staff that was taller than she was. It had a long straight pole, attached to a huge fluffy white sphere with a long catlike tail.

Homura blinked in some confusion, as the cat-ears on Yuma's cap rotated forward, twitching. The tail on her staff swung back and forth in rapid, angry movements.

"Demons coming. Stay back here, Homura onee-chan," she said.

Homura blushed, somewhat taken aback at being ordered around by a girl significantly her junior, but even so, she took a step backward.

"We need ya up here, Yuna-chan," Kyouko shouted

She waved her hand in Homura's direction, and a red diamond-pattern latticework grew up out of the ground, around Homura.

"You'll be safe there, Homura."

Sayaka glanced at Homura, then raised her sword.

"Here I go!" Shouted Kyouko.

Sayaka muttered something about obvious attacks.

But she was brought up short, when Kyouko stepped away from ... herself!

Two Kyoukos, both wearing the same smirk, charged toward the demons with raised spears.

Sayaka lowered her sword in shock, as the Kyoukos split again into four, then eight, then sixteen, then twenty-four.

Even Mami looked impressed, but she said nothing.

With two dozen Kyoukos running amok, the demons never even targeted any of the others. Homura started to notice that only one Kyouko was actually doing damage to the demons, but with Mami and Sayaka otherwise ignored, their attacks were shockingly effective. Yuma seemed to avoid direct confrontation with the demons, likely on Kyouko's orders, but she had an effective power as well. She would slam the white sphere of her staff into the ground, sending up intense vibrations in the ground. Demons, as insubstantial as they seemed to be, nevertheless found themselves unable to act due to the tremors.

Soon, the four magical girls were collecting grief cubes.

"Umm, Sakura-san?"

The redhead looked up at Homura with a smirk.

"Yeah?"

"Can you ... that is, can you drop this barrier?"

"Hmm. I dunno. You actually look kinda cute like that."

Homura blushed, and Mami shook her head.

"Kyouko, be nice."

"Ahh, I was just joking anyway, Mami."

The diamond-patterned barrier vanished, and Homura tentatively stepped over to where Sayaka stood. The bluenette sighed and gave Homura a disparaging look.

* * *

"I'm glad to see you have your special power back, Kyouko."

They sat around Mami's triangular table. The warm scents of peach and sugar and wheat dough wafted in from the kitchen. After the demon fight, and the cleansing of soul gems with recently harvested grief cubes, everyone felt a little tired, but warm and safe, and anticipating the flavor of the peach pie currently baking.

"Never really lost it. Just, for a while when my dad was in bad shape, I kinda forgot how to use it," Kyouko said with a smirk.

"I do note, however, that you aren't using it's name," Mami said, taking a sip of tea.

Kyouko blushed.

"Name," Sayaka asked, grinning.

"Don't say it, Mami."

Mami giggled.

"Say it!" shouted Sayaka.

Mami glanced at the others.

"I'm curious too," Yuma said with a huge grin.

"_Et tu_, Yuma?" Kyouko muttered in defeat.

"She named it _Rosso Phantasma_!"

"What?!" Sayaka giggled.

"Hey! I did no such thing! _You _named it for me. Because you want me to look just as retarded as you do every time you shout out Tiro _Finale_!" Kyouko imitated Mami's voice, and gestured in an exaggerated fashion.

"Retarded?" Mami asked, looking hurt.

Sayaka was laughing. Homura glanced, uncertainly, at Yuma. The girl was giggling, and glanced up at Homura. Her expression changed when she saw Homura's.

"Hey, onee-chan. I'm sorry. That wasn't nice of me to press you like that. But, it's also kinda mean to use that word."

Kyouko grinned, almost looking proud.

"You're right, kid. Sorry, Mami. But, you did kinda deserve it."

Mami smiled.

"It's okay. And I suppose I did rather ask for it. Yes, I did name her power for her. I think it's cool for magical girls to call out their attacks like that, after all."

"So _Precure_ of you," Sayaka said with a smirk.

The doorbell rang.

Kyouko tilted her head, and glanced around the table.

"Hey Mami, were you expecting someone else?"

"No," Mami said simply.

She rose, walking down the entrance hallway, and opened the door. Two girls stood on the other side. One was timid, with mousy-brown hair pulled into two side-puffs, and wearing a white shirt under a beige sweater, plaid skirt, knee-socks, and carrying a red back-pack. The other had shoulder length mossy green hair, held in place by a red hair-band decorated with a plastic flower. She wore a simple white knee-length dress with puffy shoulders and white lace at the elbows.

Mami looked them over with a serious expression on her face.

"Come in, then," she said at last.

They entered the apartment slowly, filtering their way to the main room.

"Oh, umm. We didn't know you had company, Tomoe-sama. We can come back later."

"Nonsense. There's enough room, and of course cake and tea." Mami's voice lacked it's usual friendly, hospitable tone.

Uncertainly, they moved to the glass table.

"Yeah well ... this is gonna be local business talk, right?" Kyouko asked.

"Probably," Mami said.

"Me an' Yuma'll head off for the night then."

"Of course," Mami replied.

"Seeya all tomorrow, then."

"See you tomorrow, Mami onee-sama. Homura onee-chan. Sayaka onee-chan" Yuma said with a smile to each of the others.

"Mami-san, I should ..." Homura began, standing. Mami held her hand up.

"This is part of being a magical girl in this area as well, Akemi-san. It would be best if you remained. You as well, Miki-san."

Homura and Sayaka shared a nervous glance, and Homura sat back down.

Kyouko and Yuma followed Mami into the kitchen. After a few tense moments of silence, where Homura and Sayaka sat close together on one side of the table, and the other two girls on another side, Mami came back with a pie (missing two slices) and a pot of tea. She served everyone in uncharacteristic silence. Once they had finished a slice of pie each, Mami turned to the new girls with a serious expression.

"So. Have you come seeking my protection?"

"Ummm. Kinda, Tomoe-sama," the greenette said quietly.

"This is somewhat unusual, Chiharu-san. You haven't ever had problems before. And it's rare to see you out of hiding, Shika-chan."

Shika, the brunette, glanced uncertainly at the other girl.

"Elly hasn't posted a vlog in over a week!" The greenette exclaimed, immediately looking slightly sheepish for the outburst.

"I see. That is curious."

"Who's Elly," Sayaka asked.

"You don't know who Elly is?!"

Chiharu and Shika looked at Sayaka as though purple curved horns had started to sprout out of her forehead.

"She is an internet idol," Mami explained.

"You follow such people, Mami-san?"

"Not really, Miki-san. However, Elly is also a local magical girl, so it is in my interest to know about her."

"Ummm, isn't there some kind of agreement or something?" Homura asked.

Mami nodded.

"Yes. All magical girls in Mitakihara fall into one of three categories. They either accept the agreement, and therefore, one, side with either myself or, two, Mikune-san, or, three, they reject the agreement and remain independent. Like Elly, and like Chiharu-san and Shika-chan here."

"So she was taken by a demon because she fights alone," Sayaka said with an off-hand shrug.

"No! Elly would never let a wraith get her," Chiharu insisted.

"I don't think that's the answer either," Mami said.

Homura glanced at Sayaka, and then watched as Mami contemplated.

"Well, I don't kill independents," Mami said quietly.

"Oriko does," Shika whispered, speaking for the first time.

"Yeah, or rather, she gets her attack-dog to do it," Chiharu said.

"Kure Kirika," Sayaka muttered.

Shika and Chiharu nodded.

"But why now," Mami asked, tapping her chin with her forefingers.

"See," Chiharu said, looking at Homura, "most independents stay quiet, and pick up the scraps. It isn't easy, but it works. Elly's different. She lets the whole world know she's a magical girl. She posts about her hunts on the net, and sings and dances in live broadcasts, and she has a really huge following all over the world. I mean, most people think it's all an act. Only other magical girls know it's real. But she's famous! Everyone loves Elly, and I just don't see why Oriko would want her dead."

"Unless it was _because_ she's famous," Mami said quietly.

"Huh?"

"Think about it. If Mikune-san started to kill independents, it might scare some people. For a while, you would hunt somewhere else, or lay low. But by killing Elly, she tells magical girls all over the world, that to hunt in Mitakihara without her permission ..."

"Is death." Shika said, quietly.

Everyone turned to her, and she blushed.

After a moment's silence, Mami shrugged.

"Well, we don't know for certain that she is dead. She might have simply taken a break. Still, I will keep an eye out for her. You girls are welcome to join me."

They glanced at one another.

"We both respect you Tomoe-sama, you know that. But we ... well, we just don't really _agree_ with you."

Mami nodded.

"I see. Well, you are welcome to visit here whenever you wish, and be certain that I will protect you from Kure-san if it comes to that. Just ... don't let me _catch _you hunting demons."

Mami winked, a thin smile crossing her face.

* * *

"It's so sad," Homura said quietly.

"What?"

Homura and Sayaka sat around Mami's coffee table. Mami was busy in the kitchen, and Kyouko and Yuma hadn't shown up yet. It had been a tense day at school, with Sayaka avoiding Kyousuke, and uncharacteristically quiet. Hitomi had seemed worried the entire day, continually glancing at Sayaka, and at Kyousuke, but never said anything to either Sayaka or Homura.

"Elly," Homura said in a quiet voice.

"We don't really know anything yet."

"I looked at her video blog, Miki-san. Those girls yesterday were right. Elly was a huge success. She had hundreds of fans, maybe even thousands."

"Must have wished for fame."

Homura shrugged.

"Maybe. She got it, anyway."

"And that is sad how?"

"Jennifer. That's the name of a magical girl who lives in America. They were in love, Miki-san. Really, girlfriends! Even if they hadn't ever met, they knew. They planned to visit over the summer."

"You sure that's real, and not some kinda creepy stalker thing? You know how people are over the internet."

"No, it's real. I talked to Jennifer."

"Huh?"

"Well, I sent her an email. We chatted in emails for a while last night. She's really scared. She even offered to fly here, to Japan, to help us!"

"Wow."

"I told her not to, but you never know."

Homura sighed, and sipped her tea. Sayaka watched her for a moment, her expression slowly darkening.

"Say, transfer student. You thought any more about your wish."

"Oh. I mean, with everything that's happened, I just don't think I can make one."

"What? Why not?"

"I .. I just can't. It's too big, and too scary. I mean, Elly was probably killed because of being a magical girl, and Jennifer is all alone now. It's all pain and suffering, no matter what anyone says. I just can't think of any wish worth that. Worth giving up my life, my soul even, for."

Sayaka clenched her fists, frowning.

"You're just going to get in Mami-san's way if you don't. Heck, that little kid contracted, why can't you?"

"But ... Miki-san?"

"Gah! I'm getting sick of carrying you, transfer student! From that first day in school, it's been nothing but holding your hand. Taking you to the infirmary, sharing notes with you, and now shielding you from demons. I'm done with it!"

Homura blinked back tears, and Sayaka made a disgusted noise.

"Ahh, and now the crybaby act. It might work on Mami-san, but not me."

Homura blinked, and shivered. For a moment, Sayaka thought she was going to just break down right there.

Instead, Homura stood up and ran out of the room, and down the entrance hallway. Forgetting her shoes and satchel, she tore the door open and ran out.

Homura, openly crying, ran past Kyouko and Yuma.

"Oi, Homura," Kyouko called out.

"We should stop her," Yuma said.

Kyouko glanced uncertainly at Yuma.

"Or just leave her be for a bit."

Yuma pulled herself up on the iron railing, looking across the apartment's courtyard, but didn't see Homura. She sighed, and settled back to her feet.

"Onee-chan?"

Mami darted out of her apartment door.

"Did you two see Akemi-san?"

"Huh? Yeah, she just ran past us."

"And you didn't stop her?!"

"Toldya," Yuma chided.

Kyouko blushed.

"Go look for her," Mami commanded.

They nodded and turned to leave.

"I have to have a word with someone first, then I'll join you."

Sayaka sat at the table, staring intently at her empty teacup. Mostly, this was to avoid meeting Mami's glare as she entered the room.

"What did you say to her, Miki Sayaka?"

"I just ... Mami-san, she is a drain on us! She's the only one that hasn't contracted."

"I was giving her time and space, Miki-san. Letting her come to her own decision. Giving her a chance that I didn't have."

Sayaka looked up at Mami in surprise. Mami's expression hadn't changed. If anything, her glare had turned even more dangerous. Sayaka blushed a deep red, and looked away again.

"I am disappointed in you, Miki Sayaka. However, I have to let it go at this, for now. We _must _find Akemi-san. Especially now. I will not have the disappearance of _two_ girls on my c_onscience_."

* * *

Homura ran. Tears streamed from her eyes. She could barely see where she was going. The world was a watery blur. She could only run.

Her foot caught on something. She yelped as she fell forward. She landed hard on her side. Winded, she gasped for air.

She sat up slowly, and took her glasses off. She dabbed at her tears with her sleeve.

"It's not ... not fair. Everyone else ... so strong. I just can't. Why did they even come to rescue me? Why?"

"Hey, kid. You okay?"

Homura nearly jumped, and winced at the lingering pain in her side. The voice was chillingly familiar.

"Kure-san," she whispered.

Kirika was in her ... well, normal doesn't do a good job of describing it, but she wasn't in her magical girl garb. She sat down beside Homura on the sidewalk curb, and looked at her with a faint grin.

"Heya, Homura. Saw you running. Gotta be careful. Could fall and hit your head, ya know?"

Homura sniffled, and looked down at her stockinged feet.

"Wouldn't matter. No one would care. I'm just not important."

"Says who," Kirika snapped.

"Miki Sayaka. She's right. I don't have what it takes to be a magical girl. I just .. can't do it."

"Miki's a moron. You shouldn't listen to what she says. Hell, _she's_ the one who doesn't have what it takes, she's just too stupid to see it."

Homura shrugged.

"I just ... I don't want to hate her, or anyone."

"Don't be afraid of hate," Kirika said quietly.

Homura shuddered, and glanced fearfully at Kirika.

"Don't be afraid of me either. Look, Homura. You're something special. Hasn't Shiromaru said so? Hell, hasn't Tomoe said so?"

Homura nodded, and slipped her glasses back on.

"See? Oriko thinks you're special too."

"She ... she does?"

"Yup. And she is never, ever wrong."

"But how could I be special? How?"

"Dunno. If you ask me, I think you should have a chat with her."

"Chat?"

"Look, if I wanted to hurt you, you'd be lying in a pool of blood right now, yeah? You don't lose anything by coming with me. And maybe, just maybe, Oriko can tell you something."

"Well ... I would like to know what's so special about me. And Mikune-san can really see the future?"

"Yup."

"Ok. Then, I guess I will come with you."


	5. Chapter 5

_Chapter 5_

The sun was setting. A gibbous moon sat low on the horizon. Yellow-orange highlights contrasted with sharp, ice-blue shadows. The buildings were becoming scarcer, larger, and more luxurious. Lawyers, politicians doctors, and even (according to rumor) a Hollywood actor lived in these imposing structures.

The mansion Kirika stopped in front of was not the largest, nor the nicest. The front lawn was unkempt, and the name-plate on the front stone wall was hanging by one screw, and partly broken. It read "Mikune Hisa." The wrought-iron gate gleamed black, strong and imposing. Beneath the name-plate was a number pad and camera. Kirika entered a code, and the gate slowly opened, swinging inward noiselessly.

The mansion was patterned after late-Renaissance European manor-houses. It was made from light tan and brown stone, with a black sloping roof. It was symmetrical, H-shaped, with windows right and left balanced along an axis formed in the middle by the double door, a large second-story window, and a rooftop cupola. Balanced, blocky, and imposing, the overall effect was sterile, mathematical precision rather than warmth or invitation.

"Come on, little bunny. No need to be scared. You're a guest here after all."

"Said the spider to the fly," Homura muttered nervously.

Kirika giggled, and placed a hand on Homura's back.

Homura flinched.

"You know, I ... think that I've changed my mind. I'll visit some other ..."

Homura shrugged away from Kirika and spun around. Just in time to see the gate close with a metallic sound.

"Too late," Kirika said, clearly amused.

Homura swallowed, and glanced nervously at Kirika.

"Then I have no other choice, I guess."

"Hey. Oriko may have a bad reputation among magical girls, but she has another rep to uphold too. She invites someone here, don't matter how strong or weak they are, they're a guest and they aren't gonna be hurt."

Homura nodded, uncertain.

She turned and allowed Kirika to lead her down the gravel pathway and up the steps, to the massive dark wood doors. She opened one, and did an exaggerated bow, gesturing for Homura to enter.

"Umm. Pardon for the intrusion," Homura whispered, her throat dry, and clenched with fear.

The foyer took Homura's breath away. It was large and lit by a crystal chandelier overhead. The floor was inlaid with alternating white and black marble tiles. The walls were white, and hung with portraits of various men and women of evident high standing. On her left, Homura saw a modern oil painting that depicted a Sengoku-era Daimyo. On her right hung a portrait of a young woman, a year or two older than Homura, wearing a fancy red velvet dress, elaborately coiffured platinum blond hair, and piercing, captivating green eyes. Mikune Oriko herself. The other portraits were, Homura surmised, other members of the Mikune family throughout history. All were in the same stye: modern, more Western than Japanese, all were oil on canvass, and all featured their subjects in period costume and setting. And if the portrait of Oriko was any basis of judgment, all were accurate in detail, though subtly idealized to enhance the nobility and beauty and confidence of the subject.

"Awesome, huh?"

Homura nodded.

Kirika tugged her ankle boots off, and placed them underneath the portrait of the samurai. Homura leaned against the wall and bent down to remove her shoes as well. Only to realize with a blush that she wasn't wearing any.

She noticed that Kirika's left big toe was sticking out of a hole in her stocking. Kirika grinned, and wriggled it, making Homura giggle.

"It's the little things, eh?" Kirika asked with a wolfish smirk.

Homura glanced up at her with a shy smile, and nodded.

There were three doors, one in the exact center of each interior wall. Kirika directed Homura to the door to the right, and led her past a wide, sweeping staircase of dark wood lined with dark red carpeting. Another door on the ground level opened to a similar room with a smaller and less impressive staircase. Now they passed underneath this staircase and through another door leading toward the back of the house.

The room was brightly lit by modern overhead electric lights. A dark green carpet reminded Homura of closely-cut grass. The walls were a muted, soothing beige. Along one wall sat a small shrine, a black and white photograph of a confident, middle-aged man in a suit and tie as its centrepiece.

Along the other wall, Mikune Oriko sat on a high-backed wooden chair. She wore a formal, layered white dress adorned with numerous ribbons, bows, and frills. A purplish oval gemstone was pinned to the upper chest, holding a wide, lacy tie in place. On her head sat an elaborate rounded hat that reminded Homura of a mitre, itself adorned by two knotted cords and a long veil that flowed down behind her. The many frills, ribbons, and layers of cloth gave her a noble, regal air, as well as baffling the eye with too many overlapping, conflicting lines to follow with any ease.

Homura gulped, and flinched backward a step, directly into Kirika. Kirika giggled, and gave Homura the slightest push forward. Homura stumbled to her hands and knees.

Oriko laughed.

"You needn't genuflect, my dear," she said in an amused tone.

Homura blushed a deep red, and struggled to her feet.

"Akemi Homura, I presume?"

Homura nodded once.

"It is genuinely a pleasure to meet you. Properly so, that is. I am Mikune Oriko."

Homura nodded once more.

Kirika giggled.

"Cat got your tongue?"

Homura shifted awkwardly.

"It's really good to meet you too, Mikune-sama."

Oriko laughed again. It was a soft, musical sound that sent the slightest shiver down Homura's spine.

"You are so nervous dear. Relax. I intend no harm to you. I believe that Kirika has already explained that my guests are utterly safe. Tomoe Mami herself could enter my castle, and so long as it were with my knowledge and permission, no harm would befall even the slenderest hair of her drills."

This made Kirika giggle. Oriko fixed her with a serious glare, and Kirika immediately quieted.

"I ... that is, there is so much that I want to ask you," Homura stuttered nervously.

Oriko nodded, and closed her eyes.

"I know. I haven't the time to answer them all tonight. But you may ask, shall we say, two questions of me."

"Why am I special?"

Oriko opened her eyes, laughing, and Kirika giggled quietly.

"So forward. And yet, you are special. You have potential that far outshines your station."

"Station?"

"Yes. In general, the power of a magical girl is greater, the greater worldly power she has. A queen or princess, a prophet or priestess, the daughter of a president or emperor ... such girls generally have the greatest power both before and after forging a contract. Exceptions exist, and are of great import. A humble peasant maid darkened by ignorance and want may make a wish so powerful that it sets in motion events that lead to the creation of a mighty nation, or a tribal girl dying in the rubble of a bombed-out building may, in effect, wish away a decades-long conflict between two globe-spanning empires."

Homura's eyes widened in surprise. Oriko shrugged.

"I can't say what your wish will do."

"But you _can_ see the future?"

Oriko smiled, a somehow patronizing, arrogant, yet patient expression, as one would favor on a slightly slow but nevertheless endearing child.

"Time isn't that simple, Akemi Homura. I can see events. I can see consequences to actions. If you wish to put it in simple terms, I can see multiple futures that branch out from your decisions. A _yes_ instead of a _no_, Akemi-san, even to the simplest of questions, can result in a radically different outcome."

"I see."

"The easiest answer to your question, therefore, is that if you will allow me to do so, I can assist you in making the _correct_ decisions."

"Correct according to whom?"

"Is that your second question," Oriko asked with a smirk.

Homura shifted awkwardly.

"I ... suppose that it is. If you can see outcomes to decisions, yours and others I suppose ... then what is your goal?"

"To protect my world, Akemi Homura. To protect my world, I will undergo any danger, fight any battle, forge any friendship, and antagonize any enemy."

Homura blinked, and looked into Oriko's eyes. The white Puella smiled. It was a genuine expression. Homura shivered.

"You ... you mean, that the end justifies the means?"

"Of course."

"So you would do something bad, or what others would say is bad anyhow, if you thought in the long run it would be good?"

"So long as the end is not tainted by the means, then yes."

"Tainted?"

"My father, may he rest in peace," she said, gesturing to the photograph at the shrine on the opposite wall, "my father was Mikuni Hisaomi. He entered politics to change the world. To make it a better place for me, and for others. He was a good and honest man, who forgot something very important: That money and power were only means, and not ends unto themselves. He embezzled from the city and from his party, and he accepted bribes. He hung himself to avoid the legal consequences."

Homura looked confused for a moment.

"So. By being dishonest, he wasted his chance?"

Oriko shrugged.

"Perhaps. As I noted, it's less the money and power, and more placing that as his priority. Even had he embezzled and accepted bribes, but used the resulting money and influence for the greater good, then perhaps even that could have been acceptable."

Homura looked unconvinced.

"Well, I fear that I must send you away now, Akemi Homura. I hope that you will join me again. The invitation is open, though naturally enough you must first contact Kirika. There may be reasons that prevent my meeting you."

"I see. Well, I do have other questions, I suppose."

Oriko nodded.

"Profoundest apologies, for I have been a terrible host to you."

"Oh. Not at all."

Oriko smiled.

"Fare well, Akemi Homura."

She made a dismissive motion with her hand, and Kirika placed a hand on Homura's shoulder. Homura flinched, but didn't try to pull away.

"Oh yeah, Oriko. I forgot. This poor little bunny hasn't any shoes!"

Oriko chuckled.

"That is a pity. Well, take her to the living-room where she can wait, while you fetch one of your older pairs."

Kirika nodded.

"Okay. C'mon Homura. I'll turn on the TV for ya. It's really cool!"

* * *

The cold breeze made Yuma shiver. Exhaustion and despair filled her. She was forcing herself to keep going, even if she felt like nothing so much as dropping to the ground where she was and sleeping.

She was in downtown Mitakihara. One direction seemed as good as the next, and she could vaguely sense the other Puellae: Kyouko was nearing the border with Kazamino, Mami was dangerously close to the border with Oriko's territory, and Sayaka was near the middle school grounds.

Oriko and Kirika, and the town's independents, she couldn't sense. Her friends were purposefully keeping a small part of their magic open and available to her. She closed her eyes and focused on that.

"Excuse me?"

Her eyes opened.

It was a brunette, older than Yuma but younger than the others. Yuma immediately noticed the silver ring on her left middle finger.

"I don't think I know your name, but you were in Tomoe-sama's apartment that one time."

Yuma nodded.

"You were the one that didn't speak, right?"

The brunette blushed, and nodded. Yuma smiled wearily.

"Are you okay?" the brunette asked.

"We don't know where Homura-chan is. She's the twintails girl with glasses."

"The one who isn't a magical girl?"

Yuma nodded.

"Oh. I think that I saw her."

"What?"

She blushed again.

"Maybe. Or maybe not."

"Please help us?"

The brunette suddenly looked worried.

"Oh. That ... that is ..."

"Please?"

She looked down at her hands. She was quiet for a moment, before nodding.

"Thank you onee-chan!"

_Mami onee-sama! I think I found someone that can help us!_

_Yuma-chan? Where are you? Ahh, I sense your presence now. Good. Kyouko?_

_On it, Mami! You sense this too, dumbass?_

There was a sense of indignation from Sayaka, but no words.

"They're coming in a moment."

The brunette nodded, and glanced around nervously.

"Why did you talk to me," Yuma asked.

She blushed.

"You just ... you looked like you were in trouble."

"I see. Thank you."

Shika and Yuma had stepped into a side-street to escape the crowds. The other girls arrived together, in regular clothing as opposed to their magical girl gear.

"Shika-chan!" Mami exclaimed in surprise. Shika didn't have the reputation as being the most knowledgeable of girls, though recent events were making Mami wonder if that was deserved.

Shika suddenly looked very fearful.

"Tomoe-sama! I am .. I'm sorry, I am in your territory without ..."

"Shika-chan, please. Relax. I am not angry. Really, that does not matter right now. Okay?"

The timid girl nodded.

"You did see Akemi-san?"

She nodded again.

"What happened?"

"Kirika got her," she said.

Mami gasped in shock, and Sayaka glanced down at her feet.

"Got her," Kyouko asked, clearly restraining her anger.

Yuma buried her face into Kyouko's thigh. Kyouko patted the back of the girl's head.

"I mean ... she took her to Oriko's castle," Shika said quietly, sheepishly glancing away from the others.

"I see," Mami said, in a somewhat relieved tone.

"We gotta go rescue her," Sayaka said with sudden determination.

"I agree," Mami said, "But we should find out what happened first."

"Isn't it obvious? I screwed up, and let Kure grab Homura. They're gonna hold her for ransom."

"Ransom," Kyouko asked, in a surprised tone.

"Yes. She is a hostage you know?"

Kyouko shook her head.

"She's either a guest or she's a corpse."

"Kyouko," Mami chided.

"It's true, though."

"Then we can't waste any time!"

"Umm ... excuse me?"

"Yes, Shika-chan?"

"I .. kinda heard Akemi-san say she wanted to go and see Oriko."

Mami nodded.

"You see?"

"What? Don't be naive Mami-san! That doesn't mean she isn't in danger."

Mami glared at Sayaka, who stepped back in surprise.

"I realize this fully, Miki Sayaka. However, if we try to play white knight and charge in like fools, it will be far worse for her."

"So what do we do?"

"We go there. We ask to talk to Akemi-san, and make sure that she is alright. We apologize to her," she intensified her gaze at Sayaka as she said this, "and offer to see her safely home."

"If we're lucky, she won't flip out and punch you, Blue," Kyouko muttered.

"No, that would be okay," Sayaka said quietly. "Better than finding her ... I mean, if she was hurt or ... I mean, how could I live with myself then?"

Kyouko opened her mouth, but both Mami and Yuma moved directly in front of her. The redhead got the message, and didn't say anything.

* * *

The main gate opened slowly, as noiselessly as before. On one side, Homura (wearing shabby, over-sized sneakers) and Kirika stood waiting. On the other, Mami, Kyouko, and Yuma stood side by side. Sayaka was just behind Yuma, to one side, and was trying not to meet Homura's gaze.

"Wow, more guests. Sorry Tomoe, Oriko can't come out and play right now."

"We're here to see to Akemi Homura," Mami responded.

Homura's expression remained neutral.

"I came here of my own will, Tomoe-san."

Mami nodded.

"So I can see."

There was an awkward silence, before Yuma walked across the now-open gateway, and handed Homura her satchel and shoes. The girl cast a sour glance at Kirika, before returning to Mami's side.

"Thank you, Yuma-chan," Homura said in a neutral tone.

"That all," Kirika asked.

"No. There is a little more," Mami replied.

Awkward silence descended again. Kyouko took a step back, glancing at Sayaka. Sayaka frowned, and looked away. Kyouko, very clearly restraining rising anger, prodded Sayaka's side with her elbow, drawing an acidic glare from the bluenette.

_Say you are sorry now, dumbass, or I will really _make_ you sorry!_

Kyouko conveyed more than just words in her telepathic message, and Sayaka yelped.

The others glanced at the two.

Sayaka blushed.

"Umm. Yeah. Listen, trans ... ermm .. I mean, Akemi-san. I'm sorry. You know, for saying really stupid things."

"No," Homura began, causing everyone to look at her with wide eyes.

"No, Miki Sayaka. They weren't stupid. You're right about me."

Kyouko clenched her fists together, and muttered something very dark through her teeth.

"No, I wasn't right, Akemi-san," Sayaka said, just a note of fear in her voice.

"You _were_ right though. I am not as strong as you are."

Kirika made a disgusted noise, and turned to face the house.

"I have been in the hospital for so long, I've turned weak. I don't have the courage to make a wish for myself, or for anyone else. That's how weak I am, that I can't even make a greedy, selfish wish. But you know what, Miki Sayaka? Your words really did hurt me, even if they were true."

Sayaka shrugged.

"I said I was sorry."

"I know."

Homura looked at the others.

"Tomoe-san. Sakura-san. Yuma-chan. I apologize to you. I fear that I will no longer be coming to Tomoe-san's for tea and cakes, nor will I be joining your hunts."

Mami nodded.

"I see. Well, the invitation, for either, remains open to you, Akemi-san."

"No. I've wasted far too much of your time as it is."

"Not at all! It's a pleasure to have you as a guest."

Mami favored Homura with a brilliant and genuine smile. Homura blushed and couldn't help but smile too. She clapped her hands in front of her face, and bowed in Mami's direction.

"Thank you, Tomoe-san."

"We can still walk you home, Homura onee-chan," Yuma said quietly.

Homura glanced at her shoes and satchel, which she had set on the ground.

"No, that's okay Yuma-chan. Thank you for bringing my things though."

Yuma nodded, sadly.

"Thank you as well, Kure-san. Thank you for allowing me to speak to Mikune-san. I believe, however, that I can find my own way home."

"Hey, it ain't a bother for me to show ya home. Oriko kinda said I had to, anyway."

Sayaka opened her mouth to challenge Kirika, but was stopped short by a firm hand on her shoulder. She cast an icy glance at Kyouko, who just shook her head.

"That's okay, Kure-san. You can tell Mikune-san that I refused. Although, I may consider visiting again, to ask further questions."

Homura turned a meaningful glance to Sayaka as she said this.

The girls stood there for a few more awkward moments, before Kirika relented, however reluctantly. Regardless of Homura's objections, she was followed, discretely, by Kirika, and also separately by Mami's group.

It was dark by the time they returned to Mami's apartment. Intermittent clouds and haze shone with the city lights and the moonlight. The breeze was chilly.

Not a minute after everyone got inside, Kyouko finally let loose with the anger she had been holding back all evening.

"You fucking ..."

"Kyouko," Mami said quietly.

Yuma remained silent, clinging tightly to Kyouko's leg.

"Fuck that, Mami! This dumbass just .. god, I just wanna ..."

Sayaka turned on Kyouko, fists clenched tightly.

"What? You want to have a rematch, huh? I owe you some hurt from before anyway."

"God in heaven, please give me your strength, before I knock this blockhead into next week!"

"Kyouko, please. I am not very happy right now either, but violence won't help. The only thing we can do now is give Akemi-san time, and space."

"Yeah, you're right Mami. Sorry. Well, if it'll help, Yuma an' me can stay in town for another week or two."

"It won't be any trouble?"

"We stay until we save Homura onee-chan," Yuma said quietly.

Mami looked down at the child.

"I see. Thank you, Yuma-chan. Kyouko, Is anyone looking after Kazamino City for you?"

"_For_ me? Nah, not really. There's no agreement like there is here, but there are about a half dozen magical girls all told. With me gone, they'll go crazy for a bit, and I might have to kick an ass or two when I get back, but it'll be okay."

"Fine. Miki Sayaka, I hope you have learnt something."

Sayaka took a deep breath, and nodded.

"Good. I simply hope that Akemi-san isn't really in danger. I don't trust Kure Kirika even a little bit, but Mikune Oriko is my real worry."

"Mami-san," Sayaka said quietly, "if it helps any, I promise that I'll make nice to Akemi-san tomorrow at school."

* * *

Homura's eyes opened slowly. Her window was open. A warm, sweetly fragranced summer breeze blew in, and her curtains billowed. The room was bathed in moonlight.

Homura sat up, and turned to her night-stand. She frowned. Her glasses weren't there. Then, she realized that she could see the numbers on her clock perfectly. They were big and glowed amber, but even so she normally had to squint.

She sighed, and turned to her window. The dark blue velvet night sky was overflowing with brilliant stars visible with awesome clarity. The moon was huge and full and illuminated the skyscrapers and towers of Mitakihara Town with a soft silvery-blue light.

The wind sighed, blowing a strand of hair across her cheek.

She smelled strawberries.

There was a gentle pressure on her shoulder. A caressing touch.

And two slender, soft arms tenderly wrapped around her upper torso.

A warm body pressed against her back. A nose brushed her earlobe, and a cheek nuzzled the back of her head.

Warm breath tickled her earlobes, and a nearly inaudible voice whispered soothingly.

Homura shivered.

She opened her mouth to speak.

No words came out.

Akemi Homura felt

Safe.

A low deep keening sound was heard in the distance, and the hugging sensation vanished. Her eyes went dark.

The noise resolved itself into a rather annoying K-Pop tune.

Homura opened her eyes. The world was blurry, and her room was lit by the light of the early morning sun.

She sat up with a sigh, and looked at her clock radio. The blurry amber numbers read 5 am. She shut off the radio and put on her glasses.

* * *

Hitomi walked slowly along the path through the park. She glanced at her watch in concern. By now they should all be together.

"Oi, Hitomi! Sorry for being late."

She turned, and saw Sayaka trotting toward her. Alone.

"Sayaka-san. It's a pleasure to see you today. Where's Homura-san?"

Sayaka frowned.

"She didn't meet me at our usual place," she said. This was partly true. Sayaka knew Homura wouldn't have been there regardless, so she hadn't bothered going there.

"I see," Hitomi said. She didn't press the issue, and the two walked to school in silence.

* * *

Most of the other students had arrived before Homura entered the classroom. Her expression was neutral. She didn't look at or acknowledge either Hitomi or Sayaka.

At break, she was the first out of her seat.

Hitomi leaned forward, and touched Sayaka's shoulder.

"What happened? Did you two have a fight," she asked in a quiet voice.

Sayaka frowned at Hitomi.

"Some stupid words were said," Sayaka said, evasively.

"That is too bad. Sayaka-san, you should perhaps follow her? I would expect that she has gone to the infirmary for her medicine."

Sayaka considered this for a moment, before nodding.

"You're right. I should do that."

She stood, and strode out of the room.

The brunette that sat behind Nakazawa watched Sayaka leave, then glanced back at Hitomi. The greenette caught her curious glance, and shrugged.

* * *

Homura turned in surprise when the infirmary door slid open. Sayaka stood there, with a determined look on her face.

"Okay transfer student. Cut the crap. If you're still mad at me, then say so. This avoiding me crap is ... it's crap."

Homura frowned.

"I have simply decided, Miki Sayaka, that I was mistaken to place my trust in you."

"Is that so? After all I've done for you?"

Homura turned away from Sayaka. She opened a medicine bottle, and shook out a big pill.

"I see," Sayaka said with a frown. "So that's how it is, then? You're gonna be buddies with those ... those two then?"

"Perhaps," Homura said nonchalantly.

Sayaka shook her head.

"What d'you think Jennifer would say about that?"

Homura turned back to Sayaka, a glass of water in one hand.

"You have no right to even mention that, Miki Sayaka. We do not, in fact, know what happened. Should Mikune-san and Kure-san prove to be guilty, then I would condone efforts to punish them for their actions."

Sayaka shook her head.

"I don't get you, transfer student. Not one little bit."

"Nor do I get you, Miki Sayaka."

They stood there for a moment, just watching one another.

"Fine," Sayaka muttered, turning and storming away.

\-/

Sayaka and Homura stood facing one another for a moment. Homura was being stubborn, refusing to admit that she was treating Sayaka like crap. Hadn't she apologized, after all? What kind of friend did this kind of thing?

It was increasingly obvious to her that the transfer student wasn't going to budge. Sayaka didn't need this.

"Fine," she muttered, turning on her heel, and storming away down the hallway.

When she got back to the classroom, Hitomi and that brunette that sat behind Nakazawa – what was her name again? - were alone in the room. Sayaka stomped back to her chair, sitting down in a huff, and crossing her arms across her chest.

"So things went well," Hitomi asked in a sarcastic tone.

Sayaka rounded on her, throwing her hands up in the air.

"She's still ignoring me! She barely said a dozen words, you know?"

Hitomi felt her stomach become heavy.

"Sayaka-san ... weren't you going to find out why she is still upset?"

"Huh? No, I went to find out why she's acting like this. Not accepting my apology and treating me like crap."

"What did you say to her," Hitomi asked, in a shocked tone.

"I told her to cut the crap, to stop treating me like crap, and avoiding me. That's all ... it's crap."

Hitomi blinked.

"I'm surprised that she didn't open up to you after that," Hitomi said, her voice bitter.

"I know!" Sayaka exclaimed, entirely missing Hitomi's sarcasm.

Sayaka turned back around. Hotaru (that was her name!) was staring at the two with wide eyes.

"What?" growled Sayaka.

Hotaru yelped, and turned around, looked worried for a moment, then darted out of her seat.

* * *

Homura wore a long grey sweater with an argyle pattern on the front, grey and white striped shorts, and off-black thigh-high socks. She sat on the couch, the TV turned to some vapid drama that she wasn't really paying attention to. She was reading the first book that she had laid her hands on tonight. The fact that _A Christmas Carol_ was wildly inappropriate to the season didn't matter.

Her eyes started to close, and her head began to droop. When she lay in bed she couldn't sleep, and now when she was trying to read ...

The doorbell rang.

She started awake, dropping the book. She sighed, and scooped it up, setting it on her coffee table beside a half-eaten pastry and an untouched meat-bun.

She stood up, when the doorbell rang again.

"Just a moment," she called out. She looked down at herself with a frown, but decided she didn't have time to change.

She opened the door, to find Kyouko, her expression neutral, and a very worried looking Yuma.

"Ah. Sakura-san. Hello."

"Yo," she answered with a grin.

"You wanted to talk to me?"

"Not really. But I gotta chaperone Yuma-chan here, ya know?"

The child looked up at Homura with a serious expression.

"I just thought it'd be a good idea if we talked, onee-chan."

Homura nodded.

"Come in, then."

"I'll be at the arcade," Kyouko said, pointing out the door with her thumb. "I figure, give ya a couple hours to chat, right?"

Homura nodded.

"I suppose so. Umm, Sakura-san. For what it's worth, I am sorry to have ruined your vacation."

"_You_ didn't, Homura. Relax. I ain't mad at you. I think you're a moron for even thinking about going back to Oriko's, but I ain't mad. Oh yeah, one more thing: Call me Kyouko. Sakura-san's how you'd address my parents, not me."

Homura smiled.

"Okay, Kyouko. And thank you."

"I haven't done a thing for ya, Homura."

Kyouko turned and walked off, waving to the two as she left. Homura shook her head at the redhead, and motioned Yuma inside.

The child walked over to the couch, and sat down. Her eyes were drawn to the television, but when Homura joined her, she looked instead at the older girl. Homura turned the TV off.

"Umm. Can I get you anything? The meat bun is probably still good. I have juice and milk."

"I'm okay."

"Ok."

Yuma sat and looked at Homura for a moment, making the older girl nervous.

"Onee-chan, I think you're being silly."

"Huh?"

"You aren't hurting Sayaka onee-chan by doing this, you know. You're hurting Mami onee-sama."

"I know that."

"So you want to hurt her?"

"No. I don't want to hurt her. However, she has her hands full right now. With Miki-san, and Sak ... umm, Kyouko."

"That's hooey and you know it."

Homura blushed.

"Onee-chan, Mami onee-sama loves people. She hasn't been this happy in a long time. I can just tell. She hates being alone, and having everyone there all at once made her come alive."

Homura tilted her head quizzically.

"How do you know?"

Yuma sighed.

"Kyouko onee-chan told me how lonely onee-sama was before. She always tries to have lots of friends, but it isn't easy, since she's a magical girl. She was alone when she contracted you know. She found friends quick, but then they left. And then Kazumi-chan came along, but then she felt she had to stay in her home city. I guess she found other magical girls there to teach. And then Kyouko came along but it was the same thing. Now she found you and Sayaka onee-chan. If you don't go back, Mami onee-sama will be very sad."

Homura looked away from Yuma.

"I just can not do it, though."

"I know. I'd be too scared to do it too, without my onee-chans to help me."

Homura didn't say anything.

"You do know that Kirika and Oriko hurt other magical girls, right?"

Homura nodded.

"Do you want that?"

Homura shrugged.

"If you do then you aren't my onee-chan. I don't know you if you wanna hurt other magical girls."

Homura looked back to Yuma.

"I don't want to do that, Yuma-chan."

The girl nodded.

"Good."

"Do you think I should stay away from Mikune-san then?"

"Yeah, but I know you won't. You say you're scared, but it isn't that. Mami onee-sama can't answer your questions, and Oriko can."

Homura blushed, drawing a bitter smile from Yuma.

"Thought so. I don't wanna see you get hurt, Homura onee-chan. I know you will if you keep going back there. Oriko's a bad person, but she seems like she's good. The way everyone talks about her ... she seems smart, and pretty, and like someone you wanna have tell you what to do. And you, onee-chan ... you're just as much a kid as I am, and you'll fall for it if you go back."

Homura's blush deepened.

"I won't be that stupid."

"Yeah you will. Don't go back."

"But I have to know ..."

Yuma cut Homura off by wrapping her arms around Homura's waist and hugging her tight.

"Please?"

Homura sighed, and wrapped her arms around Yuma.

"I ... I'll be okay, Yuma-chan. I promise."

* * *

Two hours later, Kyouko returned to Homura's apartment.

She knocked on the door. There was no answer. She knocked again, and still got no response. So, with a smirk, she tried the doorknob.

Not locked. She shook her head.

"If I was a robber, you would so be in trouble," Kyouko muttered.

The apartment was dim. Homura's spider-lamp had one of its three lights on, and it wasn't very bright at all. She could see that Homura, at least, was sitting on the couch. When she didn't turn around or get up, Kyouko decided to explore a bit, before announcing her presence.

She glanced at Homura's laptop with a dismissive smirk. Then she picked up a black and silver ball-point pen, and looked it over.

"Fancy," she whispered.

She took the pen with her, twirling it with her fingers, as she glanced into the kitchen. And Kyouko had never been able to enter a kitchen without inspecting the contents of the refrigerator.

"Tch. Crap and leftovers," she muttered.

Disappointed, she moved on to the next door.

It was Homura's bedroom. Kyouko made a quick inspection of everything there. The bed, the closet, the chest-of-drawers. She looked at the photo with a chuckle, and then looked over a shelf of knick-knacks.

Her eyes were drawn to an old plastic doll wearing a frilly pink dress. The doll's hair was tied off into two little tails by red ribbons. A host of other hair accessories lay scattered beside the doll. Kyouko chuckled.

Finally, bored with the inspection of Homura's humble possessions, she wandered out to the living-room, and over to the couch.

Homura was sound asleep, sitting up. Yuma, also asleep, had her head in Homura's lap. The older girl's hand rested on the child's head.

"D'aww," Kyouko said, loudly.

Homura jolted awake with a yelp, and Yuma sat up slowly, glancing around in confusion.

"You two are just so cute, ya know that?"

"Kyouko?" Homura asked.

"Yeah?"

"You should knock before entering someone's house."

"Oh yeah. Sorry for the intrusion, etc."

Homura blinked, and looked over to Yuma. She was sitting up in the couch now, her eyes already drooping closed.

"Way past your bedtime, squirt," Kyouko said, ruffling Yuma's hair.

"Huh?" she blurted out, her eyes going wide again. "Onee-chan?"

"Time to go home."

"We gotta stay here though. Gotta help everyone here."

"I meant to the hotel, silly."

"Oh," Yuma said. She blinked, and looked up at Kyouko.

"Lazy brat," Kyouko said with a chuckle, "I know what you want. You want me to carry your little butt, right?"

Yuma nodded, and Homura giggled.

Kyouko walked around the couch, then hesitated for a moment. She decided to sit down beside Homura. Yuma looked at her in confusion.

"Just be a minute, kid."

Yuma nodded, and closed her eyes.

"Hey, Homura?"

"Huh?"

"You don't wanna hang around Sayaka, right?"

Homura shrugged.

"Can't blame ya. She's likely to try the patience of a saint. Anyway, Yuma-chan here thinks you ain't safe around Oriko, and I think she's right."

"What are you saying?"

"Come back to Kazamino City with me."

Homura blinked.

"What?"

"You're a cute kid. My folks and sis will love ya, I promise that. And when they hear you're an orphan ..."

"Well, I'm not _really_."

"We'll say you are," Kyouko said with a smirk.

"What are you _saying_?"

"You're cute, and I kinda wanna take care of you. Okay, I got a soft-spot for kids."

Homura blushed.

"I'm ... not that much younger than you, Kyouko."

"The twintails and glasses say otherwise. You're just too adorable. And hey, you could transfer to middle school there, or even if you wanna my dad can set you up with my tutor. She's real easy-going. Basically, as long as you can pass a test she has to give ya once every term, she gives glowing marks."

"I see," Homura said slowly.

"So, tempting offer, yeah?"

"Umm. Not really, Kyouko."

"Huh? Easy schooling, getting away from the crap from this town, and having me all to yourself ... what's not to like?"

"Oh. So _that's_ what 'that way' means ... "

"Huh?"

"Miki-san said .. oh. Never mind that. Look, I appreciate the offer, but I'm not ... I mean, you are nice enough, and really cool, and I can see why girls fall for you, but ..."

Kyouko laughed, causing Yuma to mutter and open her eyes.

"That's rich, Homura. You think I was flirting with you?"

Homura nodded, and Kyouko smirked.

"Guess I kinda was after all. Hey, I won't pressure you. It's all up to you. You just say the word, and I take you back with me. I mean it. I think a change of scenery'd do you a world of good. Help you figure things out, ya know?"

"Thank you, but no thank you."

Kyouko chuckled, and stood up.

"C'mon kiddo, time to leave Homura-chan to herself for the night."

A little shiver ran up Homura's spine, but she didn't say anything.

Kyouko lifted Yuma up into her arms, and the girl settled in against her chest, closed her eyes, and apparently fell asleep again.

Homura smiled.

"She is so cute," Homura said.

Kyouko nodded.

"She adores you, Homura. You give off little sister vibes, and even someone like Yuma here picks up on that. Probably why Oriko's after you too, though she probably wants to exploit more than protect, ya know?"

Homura nodded.

"Good night, Kyouko. You and Yuma are welcome back, any time."

"Thanks. Seeya round, Homura."

* * *

"Tiro _Finale_!" Mami shouted.

The burst from the massive duck-footed cannon in front of her seared a dozen Majuu into pieces. Naturally enough, no one was around to see one of her cooler Tiro Finale! s, but that was life sometimes.

She gathered the grief cubes, and glanced around curiously.

"Now where did that apprentice get herself off to?"

It didn't take too long to find Sayaka. She was seated on the ground, resting against a brick wall. Her right arm was badly mangled.

"Miki Sayaka, you're hurt!"

Mami ran over to her, kneeling at her side.

"Huh? Oh, the arm. Yeah, you should've been here a minute ago. It was completely off."

Sayaka laughed, and Mami looked worried.

"Are you ... okay?"

As Mami watched, concern changed to surprise as the wounds in her arm began to seal themselves. In a few minutes, pale, scarred skin had grown back.

"Turns out I'm really good at healing, at least myself," Sayaka said with a smirk.

"I see. I don't suppose you can heal others?"

Sayaka shrugged.

"I can try, but I don't think so."

Sayaka's arm was now looking pink and healthy. She flexed her fingers, and moved her arm up and down.

"Good as new," she said.

Mami watched for another moment, as a white glove and blue detached sleeve formed themselves around Sayaka's now healed limb.

"Say, Mami-san?"

"Yes, Miki-san?"

"Weren't Kyouko and Yuma-chan supposed to be here? I mean, my arm's fine now but it hurt like _hell_ when the demon ripped it from my shoulder, you know? Would've been nice to have some backup. Just sayin'."

"Yuma-chan went to speak to ..."

Mami cut herself off. Sayaka probably didn't need to hear that they were at Homura's tonight.

"She had something to do, and Kyouko had to escort her."

"Man. I guess it'll be like this when they go back home, then."

"Yes. Wouldn't it be nice to have a third partner," Mami asked, bitterly. She instantly regretted it.

Sayaka frowned, and stood up.

"Maybe Shika-chan'll change her mind," Sayaka muttered.


	6. Chapter 6

_Chapter 6_

The next morning, as before, Homura arrived after most of the other students. She entered the classroom with an acidic glare in Sayaka's direction. Sayaka returned the expression, and Hitomi sighed.

At break, Homura stood up, glancing back at Sayaka with an especially sour expression. She turned abruptly and stalked out.

Hotaru glanced back at Sayaka and Hitomi, then to the door that Homura had just exited. She took a deep breath, and darted up out of her seat.

"Geez, that girl keeps doing that," Sayaka said.

Hitomi tapped Sayaka's shoulder.

"Sayaka-san. I still think you should talk to Homura-san."

"Don't call her that," Sayaka said, turning in her seat. "That implies she's our friend."

Hitomi frowned.

"I thought she was."

"Me too."

"Sayaka-san. This really has to stop, you know. People are talking."

"Talking?"

"For two people who have spent as much time together as you two, to suddenly become such bitter enemies, means only one thing, at least to some people's minds."

"What?"

Hitomi blushed, and turned away from Sayaka's gaze.

"What?!" Sayaka repeated.

"Lover's spat."

"Lover? What the ... ?"

"I mean, I don't believe it. That kind of love is .. I mean, I never thought you were. Not really. But like I say, people are talking, and since I am known as your friend they are talking to _me_. It's getting awkward."

"And making up would dispel those rumors?"

Hitomi shrugged.

"I suppose not. But it would be somewhat less awkward. Probably."

"Akemi-san!"

Homura stopped and turned. A petite but curvy brunette with a green hairclip ran out of the classroom, and after her.

"Hmm? Ummm ... Hotaru-san."

The brunette beamed.

"Right! I was wondering ... I mean, this is probably a bad time. You and Miki-san ... but I wondered if you wanted to have coffee tonight, after school?"

She took a few deep breaths and looked expectantly at Homura.

"Coffee?"

Hotaru blushed, and looked away.

"Sorry. You must think I'm a terrible person."

"No. Why would I think that?"

"I mean, I've wanted to ask you but ... you've been so busy lately. I suppose you probably still are, so if you don't want to go ..."

"No, that is fine. Tonight? After school?"

Hotaru turned back to Homura with wide eyes. Her face, still flushed, had a brilliant smile.

"Oh, okay. Yes, right! Tonight. After school! You and me! I mean ... for coffee. Right?"

Homura suppressed a giggle.

"Right."

The girl nodded, and took a step back away from Homura.

"Okay. Right! Oh, I guess you, that is you have to go take your medicine, right? Can I come along? Oh no wait, that would be bad right? I mean when girls follow each other to the infirmary ..."

"Hotaru-san?" Homura said.

"Yes, Akemi-san?"

"You're blocking the hallway."

"Huh?"

She turned with a huge blush, to see a third-year boy standing behind her with a push-cart, looking somewhat impatient.

"Yikes! Ahh, sorry, sorry!"

* * *

"This cafe?"

Homura frowned, and glanced around. She hoped not to see Sayaka and Hitomi, but if she did, she formulated a plan to steer Hotaru to the other side of the restaurant.

"Oh, is something wrong, Akemi-san?"

Homura breathed a sigh of relief. No Sayaka.

"Oh. No. Not really."

"Okay," Hotaru said with a grin. "C'mon then!"

She grabbed Homura's hand, before realizing what she was doing with a blush, letting go of her hand ... then with a deeper blush, grabbing her hand again even more firmly.

Homura grinned.

"I can't believe I am saying this to you, but you need to relax."

Hotaru giggled.

"I know, that isn't something _you_ would say, right? I mean, geez, this is just so ... I mean, I'm kinda nervous, you know, because I really haven't ..."

"Hotaru-chan?"

Hotaru blinked, blushing, grinning, and looking uncertain all at once.

"Yes, Homura .. chan?"

"We're at the front of the line now."

She turned, and tried to give the girl behind the counter a serious expression, failed, and giggled.

* * *

"Ahh, I thought school would never end!"

Hitomi chuckled.

"I know."

"Whoever this Alexander Pope guy is should be shot."

"I think he's dead now, Sayaka-san."

"He should be! My god, is that how they wrote essays back then? I can't get a hundred words together without my hand cramping up."

Hitomi shook her head.

They went to the mall cafe, as usual. It was unusually busy.

"My, the line's long today. Maybe we should go elsewhere?" Hitomi suggested.

"Nah. I really need a strong cup of their coffee. Only other place that's as good is Mami-san's."

Hitomi nodded.

"Yes. I really ought to accept her invitation some day and ... ummmm."

"Hitomi?"

The greenette's eyes went wide, and she turned fretfully to Sayaka.

"Let's go somewhere else."

"Huh? Why?"

Hitomi's face was bright red.

"I feel like ... hamburgers."

"They serve hamburgers here, Hitomi."

"Not like they do at .. WcDougals. That's what we should do. Go there."

Hitomi had grabbed Sayaka's forearm and was trying to tug her away.

"What? Crappy greasy fast-food? Are you feeling ok, Hitomi?"

"I just think we should not be in this cafe today, that's all!"

"Yo, gals. Problems?"

Sayaka jumped, and turned, wide-eyed.

"Kure Kirika."

The dark-haired girl smirked.

"Found a new girlfriend already, Miki?"

Hitomi blushed a very deep red.

"Hardly, Kure. And what do you mean _new_, anyway? The transfer student and I, we weren't ... I mean ... Yeah, ok, Hitomi. You know what? You're right. This place just got _way_ too crowded."

* * *

Hotaru and Homura sat in a booth in a corner of the cafe. Thick paper cups filled with coffee and plastic plates with pastries sat in front of each girl. Homura was using a small plastic fork to cut a piece of carrot cake.

Hotaru sat staring at Homura.

Homura raised her fork, and her eyes met Hotaru's. The brunette blushed, and turned hurriedly to her chocolate cake.

"Hotaru-chan? Are you okay?"

"Yes! I mean, yes. I'm just ... like I was trying to say before, I really haven't ever had the courage to actually ... that is, ask someone like that! I don't know what I was thinking, and I guess, well, it is okay probably because we're both girls, and this doesn't mean anything probably, but well maybe ... I should just shut up right now."

Homura set her fork down, and grinned.

"Hotaru-chan. You're a bundle of nerves. I almost think that there's something more here."

Hotaru blushed an even darker red.

"I. That is, I have always. Always. I mean, girls. You know what I'm saying?"

"Not really," Homura giggled.

"I like you."

"I guessed _that_ somehow."

Hotaru giggled.

"You know how girls are supposed to feel about boys?"

Homura shrugged.

"I've just always felt that way about girls," Hotaru said.

"I see," Homura replied with a smile.

"And you are ..."

"A girl," Homura offered.

"Yeah," Hotaru said quietly.

Homura picked her fork back up, and ate some of her cake.

"I suppose you don't feel the same way, then."

Homura shrugged.

"Well, this is a little sudden. I mean, you've never talked to me before, and now I suddenly find out you have a ... is it a crush? Is that the right way to say it?"

Hotaru shrugged.

"I guess so. So you _don't_ feel that way about me?"

Homura set her fork down, again.

"I don't know you, Hotaru-chan. You never have talked to me before."

"Because I thought you were with Miki Sayaka!"

Hotaru's eyes went wide, and she turned away suddenly.

"I see," Homura said seriously.

"You aren't, are you?"

"No."

"The rumors ..."

"There are rumors?" Homura asked in surprise.

"Well, she did walk you to the infirmary that one day. And you went to the cafe with her ... oh crap, this cafe wasn't it?!"

Homura chuckled.

"And then .. well, there is the Mami-san rumor. That is, that you two were using her as an excuse to stay out late. 'Studying.' Based on Miki-san's grades, I never bought that one."

Homura laughed.

"Well, that one is actually true. I mean, we did visit Mami-san to study, not that we used her as an excuse."

"Oh. Umm. Homura-chan? I guess I just started calling you that and never made sure it was ok. But you are calling me Hotaru, and you never use first names so I guess ... I'm babbling aren't I?"

Homura nodded with a grin.

"Sorry. I was going to ask you, are you seeing anyone? Or interested? Because, if you are, then I will .. I mean, I won't ... I don't know what I mean, actually."

"It's okay, Hotaru-chan. No, I am not seeing anyone, nor am I interested in anyone."

"Awww, Homura! I'm jealous now. I thought you loved me!"

Hotaru and Homura both shivered at the new voice. They turned.

"Kure-san?"

Kirika giggled.

"Yo. Mind if I join ya, lovers?"

Both Hotaru and Homura blushed now, and Kirika, accepting her own invitation, sat down beside Homura.

"I ain't aiming to steal Homura from you, cutie. It's business."

"Ahh. I see. Ummm. Shall I go to the ladies room for a moment, then?"

"That'd be awesome, sweetie," Kirika said with a grin.

Hotaru stood, and walked off, very aware that both Kirika and Homura were watching her.

After a moment, Kirika turned back to Homura with a leer.

"She's cute. Are you and her, ya know, together?"

"Not yet," Homura said, sheepishly.

"Yet? Get to it, girl! Before I push ya aside and take her myself."

Homura blushed, and Kirika giggled.

"Just kidding. Oriko'd kill me if I did something like that. But speaking of Oriko. She requests the honor of your presence, if you are available."

"Oh. Umm. Okay."

"Tell ya what. Tomorrow night? So you and your little glow-worm can have some more time together."

"Umm."

"I'm serious, Homura. You and she are cute. And, I believe it is true, that every magical girl oughta have a girlfriend."

"Girlfriend?"

Kirika nodded.

"Boys won't ever understand you. Not really. Hotaru there, she may not ever really get the whole magical part, but she has girl down. Really down."

Kirika chuckled.

"Ahh, but listen to me. So what'cha say, Homura?"

Homura nodded.

"All right. Tomorrow night."

Kirika nodded.

"Good. Now, you have a good time tonight, and don't do anything Oriko and me'd do."

Kirika giggled, and stood up.

Hotaru tenatively poked her head out of the girls' room, and made her way back to the booth.

"And so she returns. Seeya!"

Kirika waved, and darted off, nearly knocking over several girls carrying trays. Without apologizing of course.

"What was that about," Hotaru asked.

"Do you know Mikune Oriko?"

Hotaru nodded.

"Well, by reputation at least. I can't say it's a very good reputation though."

Homura shrugged.

"It's difficult to explain. But, I have to go to her house tomorrow night about a ... well, a job."

"Awww! And I was hoping we could have our second date ... ermm ... wait, I mean ... is _this_ a date?"

Homura blushed, but chuckled.

"I think so."

Hotaru's face lit up, and she giggled.

"Really? A date, for real? I mean ... it _is_ a date. So what do we do next, Homura-chan?"

"Umm. I've never really been on a date, so I don't really know."

"Hmmmm. Well, I can be out for another 2 hours before my mother will expect me home. We can take in a movie?"

"Oh. I don't think I brought that much money with me. Not to school, I mean."

"Ahh! We need to plan this out I guess. So like, let me see, we don't have school on Sunday, right? So maybe I can see if I can get money and time and stuff from my mother. Oh, and you need to do the same with your parents, right?"

"Well. My dad is in Tokyo, so I don't have to worry about that. And money is ... well, it isn't tight really."

"Oh. I see. Well, that works then. I guess. A little less to worry about then. No parents on your side to complain."

Homura chuckled.

"You're getting ahead of yourself, though."

"Sorry! Ahh, I'm just feeling so good here with you, Homura-chan."

"I know what you mean. It feels kinda natural I guess?"

Hotaru nodded.

"Yeah. Like we've done this before, maybe?"

"Déjà vu?" Homura suggested.

Hotaru giggled.

"We're long-lost lovers reincarnated after centuries apart?"

Homura grinned, and started to reply.

But instead her eyes went wide, and she blushed. She looked down at her cake.

"Homura-chan? What's wrong?"

"Nothing. Really, it's nothing. I just think that we need to calm down a little. I mean, I want to go to the movies with you on Sunday. I .. I _think_ that I like you, Hotaru-chan. But we really _did_ just meet after all."

Hotaru sighed, and nodded.

"Yeah. I guess you're right."

They finished their cake and coffee in silence.

"Well, I will see you home, at least," Homura offered to Hotaru with a smile.

"I would like that," Hotaru replied with more restrained happiness.

* * *

Kirika opened the door to the living-room. Homura entered with far more grace than she had the previous visit. She wore an off-white tunic, purple turtle-neck sweater, black knee-length skirt, and black stockings.

"Welcome back, Akemi-san," Oriko said in a relaxed tone. She was sitting on the couch, in her school uniform.

"Thanks for inviting me," Homura said quietly.

Kirika dashed over to the couch to snuggle into Oriko's side. Homura chuckled softly, and walked to the front of the couch. She stood there, hands crossed behind her back.

Oriko laughed.

"There you go again. Sit, you silly girl."

Homura tilted her head. The couch was conspicuously full, with Kirika making a huge show of stretching her legs out and giving Homura the slightest of glares.

"I am afraid that I will have to ask you to use my lounge chair. Kirika appears to be in one of her moods tonight."

Kirika giggled. Homura shrugged, and sat down. She sank into the padded chair, with a slightly surprised sigh.

"Very comfortable, isn't it," Oriko asked with amusement.

Homura nodded.

"So. I have heard many interesting things about you, Akemi Homura. You have stopped visiting Tomoe Mami?"

"Oh. Yes. I just don't feel comfortable there."

"I see. And yet, you do feel comfortable here?"

Homura blushed.

"Don't feel obligated to lie, my dear."

"Well, I suppose I have to say, I am still a little scared."

"Of course. You know of my pet's abilities. Or, some of them in any case. Anyone would be worried by such. Even Tomoe Mami herself, though she is far from weak."

"Mikune-san, why do you and Tomoe-san not work together?"

"It's not time for you to ask questions yet, Akemi-san," Oriko said. There was an edge to her voice.

"Sorry," Homura replied sheepishly.

Oriko nodded.

"You are a guest, yes, however I will nevertheless have my rules obeyed to the letter. Do you understand, Akemi-san?"

"Yes, Mikune-sama."

"Good. Do you believe that you will, or will not, be inclined to make a contract?"

"I ... I don't know, Mikune-san. It is a great sacrifice. I don't know if I am strong enough to fight the Majuu."

"You are, Akemi-san. I have foreseen that."

"I see," Homura said. She almost asked Oriko to explain further, however she restrained herself.

"However, this is one of those circumstances, as I explained before, where a yes and a no lead to such radically varying futures. If you do not make a contract, then clearly you will not be strong enough to fight the Majuu. This should be obvious to anyone. Even Miki-san should grasp this."

"Just barely," Kirika snarked, with a giggle.

Oriko frowned.

"You were not called upon for an opinion, Kirika."

"Yikes! Sorry! Please, forgive me!"

"I shall, but you must remain quiet."

Kirika answered by burying her face into Oriko's side. Oriko chuckled, and stroked Kirika's hair.

"Akemi Homura," Oriko said, looking back up at her, "you do need to decide. You cannot simply remain uncertain. Even if you decide to not make a contract, it is a decision you must make."

"Why?" Homura asked, then immediately flinched.

"I cannot answer that question, Akemi-san. I will only say, that you have three options. To contract, to not contract, and to decide to not decide. If you make no decision, it will be disaster."

"What?" Homura asked in confusion.

"Making no choice is still a choice. In this case, it is a choice quite unlike the decision to not contract."

"It's too much pressure," Homura said quietly.

"And thus, I have asked you here. Now, you may ask me two further questions, before we proceed."

Homura swallowed, and nodded. She sat back for a moment. So much was going through her mind. Kyouko's offer. Yuma and her future. Hotaru.

Jennifer.

She blinked, and felt her throat seize up. Could she ask such a thing? Would Oriko become angry? Homura felt her heart beat heavy in her chest.

No, she had to know.

"Did you kill Elly?"

Oriko blinked in surprise. Somehow, this terrified Homura far more than anger would have.

"My. What a question. I must confess, I did not expect that you would ask such a thing."

"Sorry. I will ..."

"No. It is a valid question. I know that Tomoe-san and her group believe that I was responsible for her disappearance."

Oriko closed her eyes, and tapped her fingers together in front of her chin. Homura felt extremely uncomfortable, and shifted awkwardly.

"Elly was a fool for broadcasting the truth of magical girls in the way that she did. Granted, few believed her, but it was still foolish."

Homura considered, just for a moment, to leave it at that, even if it was no answer at all. However, she had crossed the proverbial Rubicon.

"But did you .. I mean, did you kill her for that?"

Oriko opened her eyes, and fixed Homura with a searing gaze.

"Elly is the cause of her own demise. Yes, I did send Kirika to talk to her. Kirika. Tell Akemi-san what happened."

Kirika glanced up at Oriko for a moment, with wide eyes. After a moment, Kirika's expression relaxed, and she turned to Homura.

"She kinda went crazy. She attacked me! I had to fight her off just so I could get away. But, I swear to all the gods that'll listen, I didn't kill her! I just, kinda ... lost sight of her somehow. Not sure what happened after that."

"You see?" Oriko said with a cold smile.

Homura nodded, uncertain, but felt that she would learn no more on this matter.

"You have another question."

Homura took a deep breath, and leaned back again in the chair. She considered for a moment. Her mind was blank.

"I .. I don't know."

"Have I already answered all of your questions, then," Oriko asked with a smile.

"No. I just, I don't know what to ask, or how."

"I see. Well then, Akemi Homura. Let us proceed. You have tremendous potential. Far too much to waste. As I have indicated earlier, it is coming soon to a time where you must make a decision. You have one more question that you may ask me, should you decide upon one. However, I will not let you leave my house tonight unless you satisfy me."

Homura's eyes went wide, and she turned to Oriko in alarm.

"I give to you two choices. One, say that you will not contract. Deny your potential and be done with it. Return to your hum-drum life. You will have a chance at happiness, a small, dim glimmer of light in that darkness."

"Hotaru-chan," Homura muttered.

"Just so. Your little firefly," Oriko said with a smile.

Homura blinked. That was a sorely-tempting choice. To never be a magical girl, but to be, perhaps, a _regular _girl, with love and happiness and the comfort of another's embrace.

Perhaps.

"What is the other choice," Homura asked quietly.

"To submit to me, for a period of time, and perhaps to learn the final truth of your destiny. This is an answer of _maybe_. If you give me this answer, then you will have time to decide. You may still decide not to contract after all, but it will be an active and certain decision, formed with knowledge and not out of fear and ignorance."

"And Hotaru ..."

Oriko chuckled.

"Will still be yours, yes. You will have time with her, though perhaps less. Her dim light may, perhaps, be out-shined by another upon this path, but such is the nature of the choice."

"I don't know," Homura said quietly.

"You will not leave my house without deciding: Maybe, or no."

Homura blinked.

"And if I can't even make that decision?"

"I have accommodations for you, Akemi Homura. Kirika will see you safely to them, if it comes to that."

"I see," Homura said quietly.

Homura closed her eyes. She didn't know what to do. It was too great of a decision.

Hotaru?

She had just met her.

Submit to Oriko?

How could she do such a thing? But, that wouldn't be different from being with Mami, would it? Perhaps, just perhaps, Oriko's sharper approach is what she needed. But could she align herself with them? They were responsible for Elly's disappearance. Kirika's words were a smoke-screen, and as uncertain as Homura was about any number of things, this was one thing she saw clearly.

If she submitted to Oriko, then Kirika's claws would always be a hair's breadth from her throat.

_The end justifies the means._

She shivered.

Whose thought was that?

Homura remained as she was another moment. Her eyes were closed. Deep thoughts weighted heavily upon her mind. Some part of her screamed, _this is wrong! _Could she look at herself in the mirror tonight once she got home? Or would she get home at all? Oriko said she would let her go. She also said, _submit_. A loaded word. If she gave the answer that Oriko wanted to hear, would she really let her go? Or would Oriko's training begin that very evening.

_The end justifies the means._

She had no choice. She couldn't outright refuse. Fear, genuine as it was, hadn't kept her away from Mami. It hadn't kept her away from Oriko. She sensed somehow, that letting fear take over now, and saying no would cut her off from this strange and yet fascinating world of magic that she had been introduced to.

She opened her eyes.

"_Maybe_," Homura answered in a quiet voice.

Kirika giggled happily.

"Thank you, Akemi Homura. That was the correct answer," Oriko said in an oddly proud voice.

"Yeah, now I don't have to kill you," Kirika said with a grin.

Homura shivered. She wasn't certain that Kirika was joking.

"You are welcome to stay here, though as I promised, you are also free to leave. You are, additionally, free to come at any time. I will give to you the gate code. Of course, in turn, you are obligated now to follow my instructions. There can and will be no excusing disobedience, even if you are not yet a magical girl. Do you understand, Akemi-san?"

Homura took a deep breath.

"Yes," she answered.

"Good. Now, you have this Sunday free, as you've made prior arrangements. Enjoy yourself. In the future, you will no longer be free to make arrangements, of any kind, without first consulting me. Have you a cell phone?"

Homura nodded, and reached into her purse to retrieve it. It was an old, simple device. Not even a flip-top!

"I only really have one number on it though. My dad's."

"Goodness. Did Tomoe-san never even give you her number?"

"It never came up, somehow."

"Well, you will have two more numbers in your cell phone shortly. If you are unable to speak directly to Kirika, you are to call her. If you are unable to reach her, you may call me. I will call you directly if there is a task I wish you to accomplish."

"I see," Homura said.

Her stomach was twisting in knots, and a strangely metallic taste was on her tongue. It was starting to hit her. She had made an agreement with Mikune Oriko. _Oriko_! What would she be asked to do, anyway?

"Akemi-san? Are you listening to me?"

Homura looked up fearfully, and Oriko frowned.

"I dislike repeating myself."

"Sorry."

"You will be accompanying Kirika on selected Majuu hunts."

"Selected?"

"Yes. There will be nights that I will not wish you to be with her."

Homura had the image of Kirika holding her claws against Shika-chan's throat, and she shuddered.

"If you desire, you will be welcome to move here. A room has already been prepared for you. I will not require this, even if you should contract. At least, not at first."

* * *

Homura walked home alone. The sky was overcast, and a moist, chilly wind blew. She felt a profound sense of uncertainty. Like she had just made a pact with the devil.

_The end justifies the means._

What was _her_ goal? What did _she_, Akemi Homura, hope to gain?

She exited the elevator on her floor, and saw someone standing in front of her apartment door. Someone regal, quiet, and confident, with blond hair in a distinctive twin-drill style.

"Tomoe-san?"

Mami smiled.

"Good evening, Akemi-san. I trust you had a good meeting with Mikune-san?"

Homura blushed, and shrugged.

"I am not angry with you, Akemi-san. I confess, that I am a little hurt."

"Umm. Will you come inside? I don't have much to offer you."

"That's fine. Yes, I will come inside, and thank you for the invitation."

Awkwardly, Homura unlocked her door, and gestured Mami inside. The apartment was dark, until Homura moved, by memory and feel, to her spider lamp.

"It's very ... cozy," Mami said diplomatically.

They sat on Homura's couch.

"I am worried for you, Akemi-san."

"You needn't be."

"I disagree. Mikune Oriko is a very dangerous girl. You have never yet heard the story about how the agreement came about."

Homura shrugged.

"Well, when Kyouko was here, Oriko had just made her contract. Her father had just killed himself, you know. I offered to assist her, and for a very short time, she would visit me for tea and cakes. Somehow, she never opened up to us, and after only a week, give or take, she had decided to forge her own path. Kure Kirika didn't enter the picture until later. She contracted about the same time as my last apprentice, Nagisa-chan."

"You never talk about her."

Mami shook her head.

"No. It's very sad. She was very sick. She made a wish to feel better, without thinking through the consequences. What she didn't know, though, was that her mother was also dying. She found out, and it nearly killed her. Then, when Nagisa-chan's mother finally did die ..."

Mami blinked, and shrugged.

"Well, listen to me, speaking out of turn. I didn't really come here to tell you about her, anyway. She is important, in that I would never have been able to survive without her around. Put together, Mikune-san's foresight and Kure-san's brutally effective fighting were nearly unstoppable."

"What happened?"

"It was war, simply put. Mikune-san sent Kure-san to bully other magical girls. They extorted a grief cube tax. Those who would not pay were left near-death by Kure-san. Too many girls lost hope bleeding out on the streets of Mitakihara Town. Nagisa-chan and I stood up to them. Between my experience, and her unwillingness to ever give up, we managed to fight Kure-san to a standstill. We forced Mikune-san out of her castle, to fight directly. That is something she dislikes. Even so, we won. Somehow. When Mikune-san came to us, alone, to negotiate, we were certain that our last battle had killed Kure-san. As terrible as it makes me sound, I sincerely wish that we had."

"But you didn't."

"No. Still, she was severely injured. Enough so that Mikune-san believed that we would eventually triumph should the war continue. Ironically, we believed that she would win, even without Kure-san, so we were all willing to negotiate."

"I guess with Elly's disappearance, you think they're doing it again?"

"There was never any doubt, Akemi-san. There are a few magical girls that pay Mikune-san's extortion willingly. She tolerates them in her region. Any others, Kure-san 'visits.' Most girls pay what they're required to, then flee to my territory, or elsewhere. As you saw with Chiharu-san and Shika-chan, I tolerate other magical girls in my territory, and expect nothing from them. I only ask that they not make it obvious. I don't doubt that Mikune-san would see that as a weakness on my part."

"Doesn't she know it already, though? She can see the future, you know."

Mami gave Homura a critical glance.

"Akemi-san, if you've visited her, then she has surely told you that she doesn't see everything."

Homura nodded.

"I didn't mean anything bad by it."

"Of course not."

Mami continued to look at Homura for a few moments in silence.

"I don't want to be your enemy. If you continue to visit Mikune-san, then that is what you will be."

"I know, Mami-san. I am so very sorry, but I have already agreed to let Mikune-san teach me."

There was an awkward silence.

"I see. Then it is too late for you, Akemi-san. I have failed you, and I apologize."

"No, you didn't fail me!"

"I have. Still, you must do what you must. Someone once said, 'Never let your sense of morals prevent you from doing what is right.' "

"The end justifies the means?"

"Not exactly, no. What you have done is, in my mind, immoral. You are aligning yourself with murderers and extortionists. If you can see a path clear through it, then there is nothing more I can say to you, beyond this: Do your best."

"I don't ever want to fight you."

"Nor I you."

Awkward silence again descended upon them.

"Homura-san, what I have told you is true, from the first to the last. My door will never be closed to you. I am willing to forgive you anything, short of murder. Even if you contract, and even if you support Mikune-san as a magical girl, I can find a place in my heart to forgive you. In fact, if you renounce her, here and now, I will embrace you, quite literally, and I will do my utmost to protect you."

"That would start a war," Homura said quietly.

"Yes," Mami agreed. "It would be worth it, however. For your sake, Homura-san, I will fight Mikune-san, and I will die if I need to."

Homura found herself unable to keep Mami's gaze. She turned to the darkened TV screen.

"I am sorry, Tomoe-san. I don't want you to hate me, but Mikune-san has something I need right now."

Mami sighed.

"I see. Then I wish you well, Akemi-san. I promise, should I ever meet you in battle, that I will try not to kill you."

"Then ... then I'm only able to make the same promise, Tomoe-san."

Mami nodded, and stood up.

"I won't tell the others about this. It's your responsibility to let them know, after all."

Homura nodded.

"I am sorry, Tomoe-san."

"Not as sorry as I."

When Mami reached her apartment, she collapsed onto her living-room floor, unable to stop crying.


	7. Chapter 7

_Chapter __7_

Saturday was a half-day at school. Just before the end of the day, the math teacher handed Homura a note. It indicated that she was required to see Saotome-sensei in the teachers' office.

The bell rang, and students began filing out, more or less in an orderly manner.

Hotaru practically skipped over to Homura, pressing herself flirtatiously against the other girl.

"Akemi-san," she said teasingly, "walk me home?"

Homura blushed, doubly so when she saw Nakazawa and Kyousuke glance in their direction.

"I am sorry, Hotaru-san. I can't today."

"Aww, why not?"

Homura cast a glance at Sayaka and Hitomi, who were leaving just then. Sayaka was quite obviously ignoring Homura, but Hitomi met her gaze. She blushed, and turned hurriedly back to Sayaka.

"I kinda have to stay to talk to Saotome-sensei."

"Oh, are you in trouble?" Hotaru asked in genuine concern.

"I hope not," Homura answered.

"Oh. Well. I will see you tomorrow, at the theater?"

Homura brightened.

"Yes! Of course."

Hotaru was the last to leave the classroom, other than Homura. When she finally left, Homura gathered her things together, and made her way to the third floor, where the teachers' office was located.

She took a very deep breath, and knocked on the door. It was another opaque-walled section of the school.

"Come in," called Saotome Kazuko.

Homura opened the door, and stepped through.

Kazuko, and the American teacher, Joseph Isham, sat together at Kazuko's desk.

"Ah, Akemi-san," he said with a friendly smile. "Please, sit down."

She nodded, and nervously joined them in an empty third chair.

Kazuko nodded.

"Akemi-san. We both wanted to say, that we are very proud of your progress so far. For having been away from school for so long, your grades in all subjects are quite extraordinary."

"However," Mr Isham stated, "we are also concerned that after making such wonderful progress, that you are again slipping. I can't give you better than below-average marks on that last essay you turned in."

Homura blushed, and looked down at her feet.

"We want to help you," Kazuko said. "First, we need to ... dispel certain concerns we have regarding your personal life."

Mr Isham shifted uncomfortably.

"You are rumored to be fighting with Miki Sayaka-san," he said quietly.

Homura nodded.

"Well, we can't force you to do anything about that, but it would be far easier, for both of you, to come to some kind of settlement."

Homura glanced up at him.

"If it were just me," he continued, frustration evident in his voice, "this wouldn't even be part of our conversation. Your personal life and affairs are no business of mine, and it bothers me that this school feels it necessary to intrude."

"But," Kazuko stated, giving him a sharp sideways glance, "this _is_ affecting your schoolwork, and _that_ will impact your future. You want to go to high school and then to university, yes?"

"Yes," Homura said quietly.

"Next year you'll be taking entrance exams. There are many fine high schools in Japan to choose from. I believe you mentioned once that your father attended Ryōō High School, just outside of Tokyo? They are strict, but I believe you would be quite capable of passing their test, should you desire to take it. However, you need to begin applying yourself now."

"I ... I understand."

Mr Isham nodded.

"Good. Now, If you wish, I'll give you a chance to rewrite your essay. Your English isn't too bad, and you have some interesting ideas. I have marked the mistakes you've made. Please reread the material, and make better use of it."

Homura nodded, and he handed her the papers.

"I will," she said quietly.

"All right. I think that covers everything."

"Yes," Kazuko said, "you are free to go, and enjoy the rest of your Saturday."

The rest of her Saturday consisted of rereading the part of _Essay on Man _that they had covered in class, and rewriting her paper. She went to bed early.

On Sunday, she got up at her usual 5 in the morning, to shower, wash and braid her hair, and get ready. She selected a purple sleeveless knee-length dress with a modest U-shaped neckline, black tights, and black flat-heeled shoes.

She got to the movie theater well before time to meet Hotaru. She glanced at her watch, and sighed.

After a while, she began to think that Hotaru wasn't going to show up. Then ...

"Homura-chan!"

A tingle ran up Homura's spine. She turned. The petite girl wore a pink short-sleeved dress with a slightly-daring squared neck-line and white trim, red pumps, and white stockings. In her hair, which looked lighter, and perhaps a touch more red in the morning sunlight, she wore a pink clip. An unmistakably strawberry scent reached her, and Homura felt her cheeks turn red.

"Oh, how pretty! I love purple!"

Homura nodded, unable to say anything. Hotaru giggled, and grasped Homura's hands.

"Well, we're a bit early for the show."

"Pink," Homura managed to say. Hotaru laughed.

"Yeah, I know. My second favorite color, after purple. I thought somehow it would be better today to look a little more girly for you, Homura-chan."

Homura smiled.

"You look divine," Homura said.

Hotaru blushed.

"That's ... a bit much."

Homura shrugged.

"Oh well," Hotaru said. "C'mon, then. We're gonna see the first show, so they might open up early."

They had to stand in line for several minutes before the ticket booth even opened, but they spent it chatting. Hotaru refused to release Homura's hand up until the moment that they had to pay for their tickets, and then only long enough to pool their money and take them. Then, she grasped Homura's hand again, firmly, as though afraid she would run off.

When they finally reached their seats, they found that the arm-rests folded up. They were able to snuggle up close in the back row, a big bucket of popcorn between the two of them. The theater was neither empty nor crowded, and when the lights went down, Homura realized, with massive embarrassment, that they were in a perfect spot for "making out."

Whether it was from mutual shyness, or because it was their second date, nothing happened beyond an occasional brushing of hands as they grabbed popcorn.

That is, except for one slow moment in the movie, when Hotaru giggled softly, grabbed a handful of popcorn, and shoved it toward Homura's face. She grinned, and opened her mouth to accept the food. Instead of popcorn, one slender finger found its way past Homura's lips. Hotaru giggled again as Homura, blushing furiously, tentatively gave her fingertip a lick, before pulling away.

They were the last to leave after the movie ended. Hands clasped tightly together, they strolled away from the theater, into the bright noon-time sun.

"Seriously. If I didn't know better, I'd swear I've known you my whole life. It's just like ... I don't know," Hotaru smiled happily.

Homura nodded.

"I know what you mean. It's like we were childhood friends."

"Exactly!"

Homura's phone chose that moment to ring. She sighed, and retrieved it from her purse.

Hotaru sighed too, and crossed her arms in front of her chest. Homura looked apologetic, and Hotaru winked and grinned at her.

"Yes, hello? Ah. Ummm. Yes, we are. Yes, it was a nice movie. Oh? Yes, she is very cute."

"You're talking about me!" Hotaru squealed.

Homura raised an index finger to shush Hotaru, who pouted playfully.

"Huh? Oh."

Homura blushed.

"It was... that is, very. Delicious? Oh."

Homura's face turned as red as Hotaru had ever seen.

"I see. Yes. Well. Wait, what? I couldn't! No! But ... I mean, I'm not disobeying. I just ... oh. I knew that. Yes, I did. Okay. Tomorrow? After school?"

Hotaru sighed.

"So much for a third date," she said. Homura shushed her again, and Hotaru stuck out her tongue.

"Yes, of course. Good bye."

"And who was that?"

"Ummm. Mikune Oriko-san."

"Your boss? Wow, how intrusive. No wait, more like _creepy_!"

"She is rather ... controlling."

"I guess. Is that going to be a problem?"

"No! I mean, not if we're patient. I will probably be able to have weekends free."

"_Probably_?"

"Sorry. This is kind of a big deal."

Hotaru nodded.

"I understand. Hey, we have breaks and lunches at school, right?"

"Right. And I can walk you home before going to Mikune-san's."

"Hmmm. What kinda job is it anyway? Are you, like, her maid?"

Homura blushed.

"Something like that, probably."

Hotaru giggled.

"Now that would be cute to see. You in a little French maid outfit, with your braids and glasses, holding a pink feather duster ..."

Homura turned beet-red.

"I don't think it'll be quite like that."

* * *

"So how did I get stuck with you, again?" Sayaka muttered.

Kyouko glanced at her out of the corner of her eye. They were crouched on a rooftop, pockets filled with grief cubes, watching as another patch of miasma began to thicken up near the river.

" 'Cause Mami thinks you lack the tact and subtlety needed to investigate Elly's disappearance."

Sayaka scowled.

"I can be tactful."

"The hell you can. Look, if it makes ya feel any better, I'm stuck with _you_ for the same reason."

"That so?"

Kyouko shrugged and grinned.

"Besides, Yuma-chan has this way of making people all stupid. Put 'em off their guard, say things they shouldn't. Because she's a kid, ya know? I mean, I bet I could use her as a decoy if I needed to pick some pockets, you know?"

"Wouldn't that be, _you know_, stealing? I thought your religion wasn't big on that."

"It isn't. Look, I was just thinking out loud."

Sayaka shrugged.

"You're weird, Kyouko."

"Thanks," she said with a chuckle.

Sayaka shook her head.

"Well, I see demons. Guess it's time to go to work."

Kyouko nodded.

"Yup. This time, don't charge in front of me, okay?"

"Your spear moved around me."

"Yeah, it does that. But still, you kinda piss me off when you do that. Messes up my style."

Sayaka chuckled.

"Fine. Your 'style' needs all the help it can get, after all."

Before Kyouko could respond, Sayaka leapt from the rooftop, and sailed through the air, cape billowing behind her. Kyouko sighed, and jumped after her.

* * *

Homura opened the front door nervously, and stepped inside.

"I'm here," she whispered.

There was no answer, but she didn't expect one. She slipped off her shoes, and glanced at the portrait of Oriko hanging on the wall. She took a deep breath, and gripped her satchel firmly.

She found them in the living-room, which she had also expected. Oriko was in a fancy purple velvet dress with white lace at her wrists and neck. Kirika wore her usual mismatched outfit.

"Umm. Hello."

"There she is!" Kirika laughed. "You lady-killer, you!"

Homura blushed, suppressing an urge to hide.

"It was just a movie."

Oriko smiled.

"So did you follow my advice, Akemi-san?"

Homura's face turned several shades redder.

"I just ... couldn't."

"Well, boldness can pay off. The girl likes you."

Homura shrugged.

"Come here," Oriko commanded.

Homura nodded, and uncertainly walked to the couch. Kirika sat up straight, and patted the sofa cushion beside her. Homura sat, and Kirika immediately placed an arm over her shoulder. Oriko chuckled.

"So, what do I need to do?" Homura asked.

"Tonight, you will follow Kirika. Watch her, listen to her. Obey her. The Majuu, as you may be aware, are dangerous, but with sufficient awareness they are easily dealt with."

"I was told that there were other, more powerful demons too."

"Well, it is possible. You refer to the Minotaur wraith? Tomoe-san and Sakura-san told you about their battle with it, I would assume. Well, you won't meet any such thing tonight."

"Tonight? But I will meet one?"

"Eventually, yes. I'm confident that you'll be up to the task of defeating it, however."

* * *

"According to that girl we spoke to, Elly was last seen in this area."

Mami and Yuma stood atop the tower of a suspension bridge across the Mitakihara River. Below them was a thin spit of land. Other than the occasional Majuu, it was uninhabited. The only built-up features were the bridge tower, and a small pier. In case of emergency, crews could use boats to reach this point, and stairs within the tower allowed access up or down..

"Do Majuu really appear here, Onee-sama?"

Mami nodded.

"They will congregate at sites containing negative emotions. Red-light districts, crime scenes, the sites of ... of accidents."

"Oh. Yeah, I see now. I guess a bunch of wrecks happen on the bridge."

Mami nodded, without saying anything. Yuma suddenly understood the reason for Mami's reaction, and gave her leg an apologetic hug. Mami chuckled.

"Well. There's nothing up here. Shall we investigate below?"

"The island?"

Mami nodded.

Try as they might, neither patience nor magic turned anything up. It had been too long, so even had Elly used her magic here, any trace it might have left was long since gone. They found no soul gem shards, which only meant that hers hadn't been shattered. Here, at least.

Eventually, tired and despairing, Mami and Yuma sat on the edge of the dock, watching as a threatening patch of miasma began to thicken on the opposite shore.

"It just feels so hopeless," Mami whispered.

"Elly? Or Homura onee-chan."

Mami nodded.

"She's a good girl, Onee-sama. She's just being stupid right now. She'll do the right thing."

"I agree," Mami nodded, "but it doesn't make it hurt any less. I feel useless, and betrayed."

"Well, she kinda did betray us I guess. She just isn't thinking. We might have to kick her butt to get her thinking again."

Mami chuckled.

"You may be right, Yuma-chan."

"Guess we better go get those demons. Oh wait, is that Sayaka onee-chan?"

"Let me see. A blue whirlwind charging in without any pretense of tactics? Yes, I do believe you are correct."

"And there's Kyouko onee-chan."

They watched for a moment, as together the two magical girls battled half a dozen demons. To Mami's surprise, the two were actually working quite well together, though after the demons were destroyed, the two rounded on one another. They didn't come to blows, but something had clearly upset one, or both, of the girls.

"Looks like they need our help after all," Yuma said with a sigh.

* * *

A sharp wind blew in from the ocean, and a dense but regular fog swirled up from the river. The dim, flickering lights and on occasional neon sign promising salacious entertainment made the wall of mist glow in eerie patterns of color. Threatening shapes loomed in the fog. Men in long dark coats with sunglasses despite the hour and cigarettes spewing dubious smoke. Women in scandalously tiny outfits that could be generously referred to as dresses.

Homura watched them nervously. Only the awareness that Kirika was directly beside her, walking nonchalant amongst the darkness, human and natural, kept her from fleeing.

And then the fog changed in character. It became a cold that wasn't just felt on the skin, but deep in the gut, and the soul. It sent a strange thrill up Homura's spine. Fear became terror. Terror that Homura found oddly intoxicating.

Then she saw them. Six Majuu. They nearly blended in with the miasma, and yet Homura saw them ... or sensed them, with a clarity that went beyond vision. Her heart thrummed in her chest.

Kirika put out a hand, and Homura turned to her. She smirked.

"Time for some fun. Wait here, bunny."

Homura nodded, and Kirika transformed. Before Homura realized it, Kirika was a blur. The first four demons fell into pieces, and the other two turned slowly. Kirika stood with her back to them, arms crossed in front of her chest, claws sticking up above her shoulders.

Homura watched in fascination. The demons approached Kirika. She still didn't turn around. Just as the two magical beasts raised their claws, in the tell-tale sign that they were about to use their energy-bolt attack, Kirika leapt backwards, her claws slicing through the demons' mid-sections.

The demons fell apart in what seemed to be slow motion.

Kirika glanced over her shoulder with a smirk.

"No sweat."

"You did show off though. Just a little," Homura said with a grin.

Kirika spun, and became a blur. Before Homura realized it, she was standing directly in front of Homura, hands on her shoulders. Kirika giggled.

"I just wanted to impress you, little bunny."

* * *

Four egg-shaped crystals sat upon the triangular glass-topped table. Yellow, green, red, blue. Around each one sat a pile of steel-grey cubes of various sizes. They pulsated with a malevolent energy. In the middle of the table, Kyuubey sat, eying the piles of grief cubes, and the girls seated around the table.

No one spoke, or moved. It had been a rough night. Mami served store-bought pastries, to everyone's disappointment. Her tea was weak, and the milk she had intended to serve with it turned out to have gone bad the previous day.

Breaking the silence, Yuma sighed, and cuddled into Kyouko's side. The redhead wrapped both arms around her.

"Time for us to go, looks like," Kyouko said without her usual energy.

Mami nodded.

"I am sorry, everyone."

"No," Sayaka said, picking her soul gem up, "No, it's okay. We've been coming over here every night, relying on you, Mami-san. It's fine if you slip one night."

Mami looked down at her teacup.

"You didn't slip, Mami," Kyouko said, glaring in Sayaka's direction.

"Let's just all go to bed and not fight," Yuma said quietly.

"Sounds like a plan, squirt," Kyouko said, struggling up to her feet.

* * *

When they entered the mansion, there was a faint smoky odor. Homura looked alarmed, but Kirika giggled.

"Ahh, geez," she said.

"What, what's wrong?"

Kirika smirked.

"Can you cook, bunny?"

"Cook?"

Kirika laughed, grasped Homura's hand, and led her through the door to their left.

It was a grand dining-room. A long table with dozens of chairs sat in the middle, a crystal chandelier overhead, and cupboards filled with china and silverware.

Standing at the head of the table was an uncharacteristically embarrassed-looking Oriko, staring forlorn at a plate filled with a pile of black, charred, irregular shapes. At first, Homura thought they were grief cubes.

Then, she detected the odor of burnt coconut.

Oriko looked up at them

"Umm. Surprise," she said sheepishly.

Kirika laughed.

Homura looked slightly confused.

"Oriko, I love you so much, but dammit, you can't cook to save your life!"

Homura looked positively shocked at Kirika's words, but Oriko only blushed.

"I just know you love sweets so much," she said quietly.

"Ahh, it's cool to keep getting 'em from the bakery. So, Homura. _Can_ you cook?"

"Ummmm ... I can make cup-soba noodles," she said bashfully.

"I can do that too," Oriko said in a similar tone of voice.

Kirika giggled.

"Take-out it is, then."

* * *

Kyouko sat at a small desk made of a light wood. A table lamp at her side was on. She had a light novel in her left hand, and with her right was absently rooting around in a bag of pretzels.

"Oneechan?"

"Yuma? Thought you were asleep."

The girl, in green pajamas, padded over to Kyouko.

"Can't."

Kyouko put down her book, and pulled Yuma into her lap.

"Homura?"

"Uh huh. I'm worried about her."

"She'll be okay."

"I hope so."

"Worst case scenario, kid, is that Oriko's turning her against us. She ain't stupid. I guess Homura's got more potential than it seems, and Oriko thinks she can use that the defeat Mami."

"That is pretty bad."

"Yeah, I agree. So we can't let that happen. Right?"

"Right."

* * *

"Oh? Is it already this late? I have school tomorrow ..."

"So do I, bunny."

"If you desire, Akemi-san, you may stay here tonight."

"Oh. I guess that would be okay."

"Kirika, if you will be so good as to show her to her accommodations?"

Kirika grinned.

"You got it. C'mon bunny. You are going to love this!"

The room was larger than Homura's apartment. A king-sized canopy bed with purple silk sheets was in the middle. A folding privacy screen stood beside the head, and a wardrobe was just past that. A large oak commode with three drawers and a large mirror sat on one wall, between a closet door, and an open door leading to a bathroom and toilet.

Homura's schoolbag sat beside the bed.

"This is ..."

"Cool, huh?"

Homura nodded.

"The bed's super-comfy. Used to sleep here way back when. Stopped using it when Oriko and me started sleping together."

Kirika grinned.

"Privileges, ya know?"

Homura shifted uncertainly.

"Anyway, this is your room. Got a couple extra school uniforms and casual stuff in the closet. Undies, perfume, makeup, jewelry, and that kinda junk in the chest of drawers. Bubble-bath and all kinda nice oils in the bathroom."

"This is almost too much."

"Well, get used to it bunny. It's yours. Can be yours _and_ Hotaru's if you wanna go that route."

"I don't know. I mean, I don't think she'd accept me as a magical girl."

"You got a couple options there, bunny. Use your wish to make her yours. Or just take her and leave her no other choice."

"I could never do that! Not either of those things."

Kirika shrugged.

"First rule of being a magical girl: you're strong enough to get away with it."

"That's ... terrible."

Kirika grinned.

"Nah, not really. It's really a blast once you get used to it. Anyway, take a bath. Get some sleep. I'll get ya up in time for school tomorrow, no worries."


End file.
